Obituary of Joseph T. Navarria

It is with deep love and sorrow that the family of Joseph Thomas Navarria announces his passing on November 25, 2025, at the age of 77. Born on July 24, 1948, in Staten Island, New York, to Johanna and Salvatore Navarria, Joseph lived a life defined by his inextinguishable passionate and pioneering spirit, his devotion to his family, and a genuine appreciation for the simple joys that brought people together. Joseph was predeceased by his parents, Johanna and Salvatore Navarria, and by his beloved son from his first marriage, Jude Navarria.

He honorably served in the US Army during Vietnam. After his service ended, he went out into the world to experience everything this country had to offer, all the while creating stories with which he would entertain his loved ones for the rest of his life. After returning from his journey, he met his beloved wife of 45 years, Nancy through a professional relationship that eventually blossomed into love. When starting their family, Joseph made the bold decision to step back from his profession and devote all of his time to building a comfortable and loving household for his wife and his two children Matthew and Rebecca. 

Alongside being a dedicated husband and father, Joseph always found time and energy to feed and explore his many passions, one of which was technology. He combined this passion with his pioneering spirit and generous heart by starting a non-profit, The Computer Foundation for School Education, with a mission to outfit the public schools of New York City in the late 1990s to the early 2000s with computers. Through the non-profit, he accepted the donations of countless numbers of used computers from businesses throughout New York City, repurposed them for classroom use on his own time, and used them to personally outfit growing computer labs and vocational computer repair shops at public schools throughout his community.

A gifted home cook, Joseph found great happiness in preparing meals that gathered family around the table. His summer barbecues were legendary—filled with laughter, good food, and the togetherness he valued above all else. For him, there were never enough summer days in a year to satisfy his desire to bring his family together for a classic Joseph themed barbecue. 

Joseph also enjoyed sharing conversations about music, savoring a good glass of wine, discovering new movies and television series, and keeping up with the latest news and events. His passion, curiosity, sense of humor, and thoughtful insights were a constant presence for those who knew and loved him. He had a deep love for animals, demonstrated by his devotion to feeding and watching birds in his backyard, as well as a talent for building an unbreakable and special bond with each of the many canine companions he had throughout his life.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Nancy; his loving children, Rebecca and her fiance Alex, Matthew and his wife MaryEllen; their son and his treasured grandson, Thomas, who brought immense joy into his life; his brother John; his sister Frances and her husband Jim; his sister Diana and her husband Fred; their two children Alfredo and Ashley; his dog and loyal companion Luca; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom held a special place in his heart.