- Date Of Birth: February 7, 1930
- Date Of Death: December 13, 2016
- State: Florida
MIRAGLIOTTA, Joseph, 86, longtime resident of Miami, passed on December 13, 2016. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 7, 1930.
Joe was the ultimate family man. He is survived by his wife, Victoria Miragliotta, to whom he was married for 56 years. Together they have four children and eight grandchildren, whom he loved and adored more than anything. Joe was dedicated to his profession; he was a business man for the majority of his life. Since 1972, he had been a proud owner of one of the longest running Carvel Ice Cream Stores, as well as being a part of the Board of Governors for Carvel for 22 years. They referred to him as “Miami Joe.”
Before becoming a Carvel owner, he was also an owner of beauty salons and an Italian restaurant. In his younger years, Joe served in the army as military police. He always fought on the side of justice and stood for what was right. He never judged, nor criticized anyone, and always gave everyone a chance. He not only whole heartedly believed to treat people with kindness, respect, and dignity, but also taught every single one of his children and grandchildren to do the same.
Joe was a football fanatic; he watched any and all football games he could after work and before dinner. He was a long-time fan of the Miami Dolphins and stayed loyal to them through all their ups and downs, cheering them on and encouraging them to win. He also loved to watch basketball; his favorite team was the Miami Heat.
One of his favorite things to do was to sit by the lake and feed the ducks every morning with his cup of coffee. He ate a home cooked meal every night with his family, where he would laugh, make jokes, and be merry. Joe had an incredible sense of humor and found joy in making everyone laugh. He was the most selfless man who found riches in family. He was not jealous, nor materialistic, and he did not care what anyone else had. He always said, “I am so rich,” because of his wife, children, and grandchildren. With them by his side, he had everything he wanted. One of his favorite sayings was, “there is no place like home,” and he lived it to the fullest.
He drove Cadillacs all his life and believed everyone should too. Joe had a love for music from a by-gone era which included the greats of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong and Celine Dion, just to name just a few! He loved eating a good plate of pasta and could have it every night of the week, followed by cheesecake or ice cream for dessert along with a shot of espresso! Simple, was how he always lived.
Joe was an amazing fighter. His strong will prevailed him time after time, succeeding in huge obstacles throughout his life, one of the toughest ones being fighting cancer for over three years. He didn’t believe in giving up; once he put his mind to something, nothing could stop him. Joe was a prime example of how to be a well-rounded, honest, and caring person. People from all stages of his life will remember his generosity, love, and devotion.
