Joseph A Iatarola

Joseph A. Iatarola passed away suddenly on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020, at his home in Medford, NJ. He was 84 years old and a devoted husband to his beloved wife of 32 years, Sherri (Weiss) Iatarola.  Born in Philadelphia, PA, Joe was the son of the late Joseph M. and Susan (Popillock) Iatarola.  At 17 years old, Joe started working in the Reprographics Department at Smith Kline & French (now GlaxoSmithKline). While balancing a full-time job and a growing young family, Joe enrolled in night classes at La Salle College and graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Labor Relations. This propelled a long and successful career spanning over 33 years at Smith Kline with responsibilities ranging from managing the sales fleet to planning and organizing conferences all over the country and as far as Acapulco.  Joe retired from Smith Kline in 1988, but was asked to stay on for an additional year as a consultant to aid in the transition of his multi-faceted responsibilities. He then started his own consulting company, Practitioner, which he grew for several years before beginning his 20+ year second career in real estate. Joe was passionate about matching his clients with the perfect home and enjoyed the challenge of navigating the industry changes that came with the introduction of new technologies and digitalization in the late 90s. He was a lifelong learner and quickly adapted, often mentoring other colleagues along the way.

Joe was a true Renaissance man. He loved to fish and looked forward to participating in the Striped Bass Derby on Long Beach Island for many years. If he could catch em’, he definitely knew how to cook em’ – he was a talented chef who took great joy in preparing and sharing his home-cooked meals with whomever was lucky enough to be sitting at his table. He was both analytical and creative and his attention to detail was prominent in everything that he did. That characteristic was especially evident in the vast array of models that he built over the years, including an intricate train set and model ships. His artistic talents were vast and he expressed himself through photography and many other innovative pursuits.

In addition to his wife, Sherri, Joseph is survived by his eight children whom he shared with his previous wife, Jeannette (Boyle) Iatarola: Tina Borkowski, Toni Schmidt (Jeffrey), Jani Sutherland (Bob), Mark (Denise), Joseph (Beth), Nancy Walker (Robert), Stacy Satterthwaite (Tony), and Michael (Melissa), twenty-seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren. He is also survived by three special nephews, the sons of his only sister, the late Carole Poole.

No services will be held at this time. However, a gathering of family and friends will be held when we can fully celebrate and honor Joe’s life. The world was enriched by his presence and a far better place because of him. All who have had the good fortune to know him are truly blessed.

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