Former BJ market research analysist Joe Cocozzo, a Stow High
graduate whose newspaper career included San Diego and other California stops,
Indiana, New York, Michigan, Massachussetts and Michigan, and Hamilton and Lake
County in Ohio, passed away Wednesday, May 15.
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| Joe Cocozzo |
He began at the BJ in 1970. He was publisher of the Lake County
News-Herald from 1988 to 1999.
He was a superb golfer, playing at famous courses around America,
and played baseball for a Pittsburgh Pirates farm team.
For a tribute to Joe, go to
Joe’s impressive obituary:
Joseph A. Cocozzo
Joseph A. Cocozzo, 75, of Concord
Township, passed away May 15, 2019 at University Hospital Geauga Medical
Center. Joe’s final voyage began suddenly March 27, with a lung infection and
complications of atrial fibrillation at TriPoint Hospital. He improved and
reached his second port, Regency Hospital, where again improvement allowed him
to sail on to Heather Hill Rehabilitation facility to regain his strength. This
was not to be as he was called to home port by God.
Born in Cleveland August 10, 1943, his
family moved to Stow in 1958 to a split level home that his father, brother,
himself and several relatives who were tradesman had built. He attended Stow
High School and was an outstanding athlete, playing football, basketball and
baseball which was his greatest love. He later played center field for a
Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm team until his knee “blewout” again which ended those
career hopes.
Joe worked at Morgan Adhesives in Stow,
was a tow motor driver for the Twinsburg Chrysler Stamping Plant, then
underwriter for Summit National Life Insurance Company in Akron where he was
encouraged to enter college by the Chief Medical Officer of one of the major
tire companies. Joe entered Kent State University and graduated in 1969 with
his Bachelor of Business degree. He earned his Masters’ Degree, (Summa Cum
Laude) in 1970.
Joe’s newspaper career began as a
Market Research Analyst at the Akron Beacon Journal and continued at the San
Diego Urban Newspaper Group as marketing director.
He was promoted to head the ad department
of the Pacific Beach Sentinel and two years later became the
co-publisher and general manager of the four Star News operations headquartered
in Chula Vista. His last position at the SUN Group of Harte-Hanks
Communications was as President of the Group in 1980 and he retained his
Publishing duties of the Star Newspapers. Remaining with Harte-Hanks, he became
Publisher of the Daily Journal News in Hamilton, OH for four years. In 1986 he
was hired by The Journal Register Company who owned the two papers in Anderson,
Indiana. Joe forged a Joint Operating Agreement of the morning and evening
papers into one named The Herald - Bulletin which won Indiana’s Blue Ribbon
Award for daily newspapers that same year. Still with JRC, he then advanced to
Publisher of The News-Herald in Lake County, Ohio in 1988. During his time as
publisher, it was one of the fastest growing daily newspapers in Ohio. Joe
retired from there in 1999 at age 55.
He continued his relationship with JRC
as an interim publisher in Fall River, MA and various consulting duties at
papers in New York and Michigan. Joe also was a consultant to Lake Health and
lobbied for the township vote to erect TriPoint Medical Center. He was a poster
patient for the Orthopedic services of back and knee replacements in their Best
of Health publication of July/August 2011.
During his time at various newspapers,
Joe was involved in fund raising as a loaned executive for the United Way and
United Fund-Red Cross in Akron, YMCA in Chula Vista, and as a United Way
general chairman in Hamilton and Lake County. Joe served a term as leader of
the Lake County Grand Jury and having been an Eagle Scout, hosted the annual
fundraising Boy Scout Breakfast for 10 years. For this service he was presented
with The Silver Beaver Award. Joe received several proclamations and awards;
1982 Citizen of the Year from Chula Vista, and at his 1999 retirement; the
Board of Lake County Commissioners, The United Way, City of Mentor, City of
Willoughby, a Certificate of Congressional Recognition and Achievement as well
as Lakeland’s Distinguished Service Award in 2010. He was proud to be a member
of the Founding Board of Governors for Quail Hollow Country Club and his work
with Cleveland Golf Charities and the Nike Tour.
Joe’s fore (pun intended) most athletic
endeavor was as a golfer. He took up the game in his early twenties and carded
a hole-in-one early on. His travels included playing some prestigious courses;
Doral, The Copperhead, Rivera, Pebble Beach, Firestone, Sea Island, PGA
Sawgrass, The Green Brier and Arnies’s home course in Latrobe. Joe seldom had
to buy golf shirts, balls or gloves as he won various putting and long drive
contests which supplied him with those items. His favorite was the Palumbo
Family annual outing with his brothers and cousins. His name is inscribed on
the family plaque many times.
Joe was a loving husband, father,
brother, friend and colleague as well as a compassionate and caring individual
to all who knew him.
Survivors are his wife of 49 years,
Donna Jane Cocozzo; son, Tony Cameron (Sarah) Cocozzo; his brothers, Anthony
(Leslie) and Richard (Elizabeth) Cocozzo; brothers and sisters-inlaw, Marcia
(Buster) Parker and Grace (Ed) Thornhill, Diana Taylor. He leaves behind three
nieces, two nephews, five great nephews, a great g p g niece and aunt and many
fun loving cousins. He was preceded in death by a stillborn daughter in 1976;
parents, Joseph and Clementine (Dena) nee Palumbo Cocozzo; parents-in-law,
Willie (Hannah) Taylor; and brothers-in-law, Everet, Earl, Donald and Rodney;
sister-in-law, Cindy; many aunts, uncles, cousins and wonderful colleagues and
friends. I cannot leave out Joe’s furry companions, Shadow (deceased) whom Joe
taught to fetch a ball and put it in his shoe and Smokey who visited him at the
Heather Hill facility.
The family will receive friends to
celebrate Joe’s life from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at the Lakeland
Community College, 7700 Clocktower Dr., Kirtland, OH 44094. A memorial service
in honor of Joe will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Lakeland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made to the Lakeland Foundation or to the Lake Humane
Society, 7564 Tyler Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060.
Arrangements entrusted to the Brunner
Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor,
OH 44060.
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