Joseph “Giuseppe” Lee DiBiase was born in Syracuse, New York, on July 19, 1933. He passed away on September 25, 2026 peacefully at home, at the age of 93.

Growing up surrounded by a large and loving Italian immigrant family, he often recalled his early days with nostalgia. He and his sister Dodie spent many mornings bantering over cappuccinos, remembering their old neighborhood and the four family homes that formed a close-knit compound filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Even more relatives lived in the surrounding homes. The backyards were connected by gardens filled with vegetables, creating a world where family was everywhere. Like many of the children, Joe had a nickname. His was “Skippy,” after the mischievous cartoon character of the 1930s, a moniker that followed him throughout his life.

He was deeply proud of his Italian heritage and embraced its language and customs. In his early twenties, he joined the Army and was appointed a medic, a role that took him to Verona, Italy. There, he was able to immerse himself in the culture of his ancestors, something that meant a great deal to him. During his time in Verona, he made many dear friends and remained in touch with them for the rest of his life. It was also there that he met and married Margaret Joyce Petersen.

After returning to the States, he and Joyce first settled in Syracuse before setting off on a cross-country adventure. They packed their VW to the brim, headed west to California, and settled in Los Angeles where he earned his degree at UCLA. Before long, they moved to San Francisco, where they raised their three daughters, Gemina, Gioia and Rosanna.

In San Francisco, he built a career in finance as a stockbroker while remaining active in the Italian community. Family and tradition were important to him, and he made sure his daughters grew up bilingual, giving them the gift of the Italian language and a strong connection to their heritage. His daughters remember the family rituals fondly: fresh brioche on Saturday mornings, fresh pasta on Sunday afternoons, and trips to Cuneo Bakery in North Beach, where Giuseppe could speak Italian with the ladies behind the counter. When the girls were small, he would pile all three into the front seat of his Alfa Romeo Giulietta for a ride up to Coit Tower or out to Playland at the Beach.

After his daughters were grown, he returned to the East Coast to be closer to his parents and his large extended family. There, he started his own business in the textile supply industry—a career that suited his outgoing nature. He loved being on the road in his Cadillac, meeting people, calling on clients, and traveling throughout the Northeast and Southeast.

Later in life, he met his partner, Donna Willis, and the two shared a life together in Pompey, New York, for the last 17 years. They enjoyed socializing at the American Wine Society and Polish Home, entertaining dear friends from out of town, and welcoming people into their home. He loved to cook and, until very recently, was still making his homemade pasta and tomato sauce, often using vegetables fresh from Donna’s garden.

He was larger than life, with a booming voice, tremendous energy, and a personality that could fill a room. If there was music playing (or not), he might suddenly break into song. If there was a conversation, he had a story. If there was food, he was ready to eat. At Christmas, the family knew better than to leave the giuggiulena within easy reach, because he was likely to finish it off. He was affectionate and generous with hugs and kisses, and his niece Lucia put it perfectly: “He always made me feel like a million bucks.”

Gregarious and extroverted, he made friends easily and kept them for life. Loyalty came naturally to him, and he made a point of staying connected to the people he cared about, whether they were family, lifelong friends, or someone he had just met. A natural linguist, he had an extraordinary ear for language, was a gifted mimic, and he could turn almost any conversation into entertainment. He was fascinated by politics, culture, and history, and was never shy about sharing an opinion.

He embraced the simple pleasures of life: family, friends, good food and wine, a good cigar, his morning cappuccinos, music, old movies, cars, and, above all, good company. He brought passion, love, and energy those around him, and those who knew him will carry his stories and his larger-than-life spirit with them.

If he managed to finesse his way through the pearly gates, heaven just got a whole lot louder—and definitely more Italian. And if there’s a pub in heaven, he’s probably there right now, sipping a martini and debating recipes for fresh pasta.

He will be treasured and dearly missed by his partner, Donna Willis; his daughters, Gemina McCarville (Tom McCarville), Gioia DiBiase and Rosanna Ferrera; his sister, Dodie Marchese; his niece, Lucia Marchese; his nephew, Luigi Marchese; his cousin, Lee Piraino; as well as heaps of extended family and many dear friends.

He joins his parents, Joseph and Josephine DiBiase; the mother of his children and dear friend, Joyce DiBiase; his grandson, Patrick McCarville; his brother-in-law, Peter Marchese; and his many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and beloved friends who went before him.
A memorial celebration of life will be held in Syracuse in November. Details will be circulated at a later date.