Obituary of Joseph W. Battisto

Joseph W. Battisto, 83, of Cresco, died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg. He was married to Virginia “Ginger” (Mayer) Battisto, for 53 years. Born and raised in Mount Pocono, Joe was a son of the late Angelo and Jennie (Santarsiero) Battisto. Joe attended elementary school in Mount Pocono and graduated from Stroudsburg High School, class of ‘49. Joe was a star baseball pitcher in high school and was scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. He enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school. Joe earned his BA in English from what is now ESU and his Master’s Degree in English from the University of Scranton. He began his career as a highly respected, well-loved, English teacher at the Coolbaugh High School and then taught in the Pocono Mountain School District for 25 years and was chairman of the English department. During this same time, he was Mayor of Mount Pocono for eight years. As Mayor, he accomplished the almost impossible task of building the Borough’s much needed central sewer system. When others told him the Borough couldn’t afford the system, he relentlessly pursued funding for the project and prevailed. Joe Battisto was elected to the PA House of Representatives for the 189th District and served nine terms from 1983 to 2000. For his first term, he ran as “A Strong Voice for A New District.” And that he was. He continued to accomplished the impossible: he established the Litter Control Board (often picking up garbage himself) and made sure garbage trucks passing through Monroe County had covers; had the church at Shafer’s School House Road moved back to help visibility; secured funding for the new jail when the old one was too small; made time to support our many distinguished Eagle Scouts; helped build the new library in Tobyhanna; had the bypass, which is named The Joe Battisto Bypass, built around Marshalls Creek, and tirelessly assisted countless families in his constituency. Joe served on the Education Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Transportation Committee in the House. He was involved with many organizations and boards, including Rotary, Environmental Education Center, Litter Control Board, and many other groups. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary of the Mount Church in Mount Pocono. In addition to his wife, Ginger, he is survived by two sons, Joseph W. Battisto II of Flourtown and James W. Battisto of Tobyhanna; two daughters, Pamela B. Watkins of Tobyhanna and Jessica M. Battisto of Philadelphia; two sisters, Mary Gunn and her husband, Howard, of Stroudsburg, and Genevieve Battisto of Mount Pocono; one brother, Thomas Battisto and his wife, Cathy, of Florida; eight grandchildren: Rachel, Allison, and Victoria Watkins; Evan and Brielle Battisto; Joseph III, Blake, and Sage Battisto; and nephew Keith Gunn. There will be a visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct, 30 at Bolock Funeral Home, 6148 Paradise Valley Road, Cresco. The Rev. Fr. Paul Fontanella will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at St. Mary of the Mount Church, 27 Fairview Ave., Mount Pocono. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the United Way of Monroe County, PO Box 790, Tannersville, PA 18372; or Pocono Medical Center, Attn: Pocono Health Foundation, 206 E. Brown St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. Private cremation has been entrusted to Bolock Funeral Home Crematory. GPS Address: 1 Peterson Hill Road, Cresco, PA 18326