Joseph John Tozzi, born July 11, 1941 in Somerville, NJ passed on after a hard fought battle with metastatic prostate cancer on Sunday, March 10, 2019 surrounded by the love of his family. Joe Tozzi will be remembered as the man who always put his family first; this was a motto he lived by and that is cherished and carried on in his wife Christina Robin Tozzi and children Jennifer Tozzi O'Leary and Tina Marie Tozzi who continue his legacy. His son-in-law Tom O'Leary was his right hand man, he loved him like his own son and didn't hesitate to give him a hard time to match. His grandchildren James Joseph O'Leary and Laura Elena O'Leary were the light of his life and he celebrated every success of theirs with gusto. His sister Judy Tozzi Copeland was his female counterpart, and shared in his strength and love of family. His world was his family and he was their world.

Joe was known as many things to many people; a Husband, a Dad or Poppa, a Pop Pop or Poppy, a Friend, a Hero, a Warrior who served in the United States Air Force from 1961-1965, and also by a few names I probably can't share with all of you… but to everyone he was someone who held a special place in their hearts. He was a force to be reckoned with; tough and gruff when called for but a man with the biggest, most loving and generous heart you'd ever find. He was a lavish story teller with a sense of humor those who knew him well couldn't get enough of, and could sometimes make you blush. He was a self-made chef who mastered his own recipes which he cooked with his children in his kitchen and they now cook in theirs. An Italian to the core, a family man.

Joe's favorite place to spend time with family was in Lavallette on the Jersey Shore where he loved to surf fish and would never turn down a day out on a boat saltwater fishing with family and friends.  He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, watching the birds and squirrels with is wife Robin and just enjoying anything nature had to offer. His love of hunting was shared with his daughter Jen who he built a special lifetime bond with while walking the hunting fields when she was just 6 years old. And this same love has transferred on to his grandson James, and in turn to his son-in-law Tom who was first roped into it but has learned to love it in his own right. His daughter Tina was never the hunter, he took her hunting one time as a child and she yelled "run bunny run" to save the rabbits and let's just say was never taken hunting again, but his love of outdoors transferred to her with a love of hiking and offloading.

Joe was a generous man with an open heart who always put the needs of his family and those close to him above his own. He was a man valued and appreciated by everyone who was lucky enough to have been a part of his large and wide circle. He made an impression with every step he made and every breath he took. In honor of him it is his request that in lieu of flowers and to continue his generosity of heart to please consider a contribution to Disabled American Veterans http://cst.dav.org/ or to the National World War II Museum https://www.nationalww2museum.org/ .

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday April 16, 2019 at 11:00am in the Barranco & Sons,P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home 495 Ritchie Hwy. Severna Park, MD 21146. Family and close friends will gather at La Posta immediately following the memorial service for a celebration of Joe's life.