Joseph R. Puglielli

Mr. Joseph R. Puglielli, of Waltham, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was 62.

Joe was born in Newton on January 18, 1947 and was a son of the late Vincenzo and Concetta (Centorino) Puglielli. He was raised in Watertown where he graduated from Watertown High School in 1964. After that he earned a degree in photography from the Franklin Institute of Photography in Boston. Joe and his family moved to Waltham in 1972.

After his schooling Joe joined the United States Navy in 1966 and became a combat photographer. He served aboard the USS Constellation (CVA 64), a Kitty Hawk class aircraft carrier, during four combat tours of duty in Vietnam. His ship and her crew were awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal and a Navy Unit Commendation Medal. In October of 1969 the Secretary of the Navy awarded Joe the Navy Achievement Medal with a Combat ‘V’ for meritorious service aboard the Constellation during combat operations from June of 1968 to January of 1969.

For the past 39 years Joe was the proprietor of Joseph R. Puglielli Photographers, a business he founded in Watertown when he returned from the service in 1970. He also worked as a photographer for the Geophysics Lab at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, retiring in 2003.

He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 8818 in Cambridge, American Legion Post No. 99 in Watertown, the Knights of Columbus Council No. 332 in Belmont, the Piave Fiume Lodge No. 1036, Order of the Sons of Italy in Watertown, and the Industrial Photographers of New England.

Joe leaves his wife of 42 years, Eileen M. (McNamara) Puglielli; his children, Christine A. Portlock of Bedford, Lisa M. Geaney of Wakefield, Mark J. Puglielli of Canton, Connecticut, Karen E. Puglielli of Watertown, Steven M. Puglielli of Reading, Michael J. Puglielli of Bedford, Ellen T. Lembo of Devon, Pennsylvania, Matthew T. Puglielli of Rochester, New Hampshire, Ann Marie Eng of North Reading and Timothy J. Puglielli of Maynard; his brother and sister, Vincent Puglielli of Madison, Wisconsin and Janet Livoti of Nahant; 24 grandchildren, one niece and three nephews.

Family and friends will honor and remember Joe’s life by gathering for calling hours at The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. and again at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation NE, 85 Astor Avenue, Suite 2, Norwood, MA 02062.