Fire Chief of Lewiston Fire Co.# 2

Joseph D. Passanese, Sr., 64, of Lewiston, NY died on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at his residence under the care of Niagara Hospice. Born in Niagara Falls, NY he was the son of the late Sebastian J. and Josephine M. (Lucarini) Passanese.

Joseph was a lifelong resident of the Niagara Falls area. He attended local schools and graduated from Niagara Falls High School in 1967. He served with the New York 107th Air National Guard as an aircraft maintenance technician from 1969 until his honorable discharge in 1973 and was stationed in Vietnam as a crew chief from 1967 until 1969. He was awarded a Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, Expert in Small Arms Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation with Two Oak Leaf Clusters. Joe was an Operating Engineer and member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 463 and was the lead operator and union steward on several projects throughout Niagara and Erie counties. He also served as a trainer and an auditor for the Board of Directors for the union.

In 1991 Joe became a volunteer firefighter and served as the Fire Chief of the Upper Mountain Fire Co., the Deputy Chief of the Hazardous Materials Team and Commissioner of HazMat for the Town of Lewiston. Joe later joined the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit in 2004 where he became a Level II Fire Investigator in 2009 and a Zone Coordinator in 2011. He was currently serving as the Fire Chief of Lewiston Fire Company No. 2. Joe was also a member of the NYS Association of Fire Investigators, Niagara County Fire Chiefs Association and the NYS Fire Chiefs Association.

Joseph is survived by his wife Lynn M. (Lizzio) Passanese, two children Lauren (Benjamin) Campbell of Lewiston, NY and Joseph Passanese II of Niagara Falls, NY; one step daughter Ashley Hansen of Buffalo, NY; three grandchildren Aislinn, Logan and Violet Campbell; three brothers Matthew Passanese of Coconut Creek, FL; Daniel Passanese of Grand Island, NY and Sebastian Passanese of Niagara Falls, NY; one sister Mary Beth Passanese of Niagara Falls, NY; his father-in-law John N. Lizzio of Glenwood, NY and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be on Sunday from 2 – 7 p.m. at the M.J. COLUCCI & SON NIAGARA FUNERAL CHAPEL, 2730 MILITARY ROAD, NIAGARA FALLS, NY where funeral services will begin on Monday December 2nd at 9 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial with Military Honors at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Cataract Church, 259 Fourth Street, Niagara Falls, NY with Rev. Jacek Mazur officiating. Entombment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Niagara Falls, NY at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Joe's name may be made to Lewiston Fire Company No. 2, 1705 Saunders Settlement Road, Niagara Falls, NY or to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Road, Lockport, NY 14094.