It is with great sadness that the family of Mr. Joseph E. Lopes, announce his sudden passing on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, at the Morristown Medical Center. A resident of Hewitt, N.J., he was 69 years old.
The son of Thomas and Caroline “Honey” Lopes, Joe was born on Nov. 8, 1951, in Red Bank, N.J.
Joe was a member of the first graduating class of Keansburg, N.J., in 1969. He played baseball, basketball, football and was a part of the swimming team.
After high school, he attended Tusculum University in Tennessee where he studied history and desired to become a high school history teacher.
Joe will be remembered for his larger-than-life personality. He was a showman and loved when he had an audience to entertain. No matter the situation, Joe would always make it an instant memory.
Some of Joe’s hobbies included traveling, fishing, cooking and reading. One of his favorite places to frequent was Atlantic City, NJ. He loved to spend a random weekend or a “just because” staycation in AC with his sisters, nieces and nephews.
When he wasn’t telling you a random trivia fact or playing his crossword puzzles, you could find him driving around, listening to the Rolling Stones, looking for a random pond or creek to cast a few lines in.
He enjoyed taking care of his “regulars” alongside his beloved coworkers at restaurants and pubs such as Main Street Tavern, The Lookout, Marina Diner, The Ledge, Valley View Pub, Vito & Michaels and, of course, Carl’s Diner (WM Diner/Sit and Chat Diner).
He went by a few nicknames such as Joey Diner and Joey Bag-of-Donuts, but his favorite nickname of all was “Pop-Pop.” He had an indescribable bond with his granddaughters Peyton and Jo and would spend as much time with them as he possibly could. Many would say that Peyton was his best friend in the world. They were the light of his life and he would brag about them any chance he had.
Joe will be forever remembered by his son Nicholas and wife Christine; his granddaughters Peyton and Joanna; his siblings Thomas Lopes and wife Nancy, JoAnne Lopes, Carolyn Millevoi and her husband Dennis “Chuck,” Marie Nolan, and Anthony Lopes. Joe is further survived by his ex-wife; Debbie Weber, as well as his many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be held in the spring with a date and location to be announced.
Funeral arrangements are honorably entrusted to Zygmunt-Murtie Funeral and Cremation Service- Proudly serving Warwick and the surrounding communities. To leave a condolence, please call 845-977-6127 or visit www.zmmemorials.com.