Obituaries and Memories
Joe Gurto Sr
April 16, 1935
August 11, 2003
Obituary
Star Beacon
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Joseph Gurto
CONNEAUT — Joseph Gurto, age 68, of Conneaut, died early Monday, August 11, 2003, at UHHS Brown Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Gurto was born April 16, 1935, in Conneaut, the son of Peter and Mary (Delvecchio) Gurto He attended Conneaut High and later went to work for the Nickel Plate Railroad.
In 1954, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served his country during the Korean War and until he was honorably discharged in 1957. He went back to work for the railroad until he retired from the Norfolk & Western Railroad as General Foreman of the section gang for over 30 years.
Joe enjoyed doing yardwork and collecting antique cars, railroad cars and lighthouses. He was the handyman and Mr. Fix-it. Joe also loved to spend time with his family, grandchildren and friends. He loved to watch the Cleveland Browns and Indians. He was a former member of the American Legion.
Mr. Gurto was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Vincent J.; sisters, Rose Speer, Mary Moneypenny, and two infant sisters, Philomena and Mary.
He is survived by his wife, Lorraine (Smith) Gurto, whom he married February 3, 1954; a daughter, Brandy, and Rocky Ulrich, of West Springfield, PA; five sons, Joseph A., and Frances, Gurto of Kings Langley, Australia, Michael P. Gurto of Lorain, OH, Anthony J. Gurto, Mark V., and Brigette, Gurto and Nicholas J. Gurto, all of Conneaut; two sisters, Florence Lewis and Susie Petrovski, both of Conneaut; five brothers, James G. Gurto of Wexford, PA, Christy Gurto of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Anthony Gurto of Montpelier, OH, and Frank Gurto and Pat Gurto, both of Conneaut; 18 grandchildren; and 1 great-grandchild.
A Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2003, at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, with Father Raymond Thomas officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Conneaut.
Calling Hours will be held Thursday, August 14, 2003, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the RAISIAN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 581 Harbor Street, Conneaut.
Comment (10)
Uncle Joe I remember him coming home on leave from the air force. I liked his hat, I really wanted that hat, but I think he gave it to Pat or Jim Anderson(I think). All I know is I didn’t get it. – Sharen, August 12, 2005
I can only wonder how my Dad could be so generous with his cars. He always let us kids “borrow” them and as I recall, each one of us had at least one accident with them. (I know that I had at least three) – Joe August 13, 2005
Words of Remembrance
I was fortunate to have visited Dad in May this year. It was a different kind of visit than my usual vacation to the US because for the first time in many years, I traveled without my family. I came to visit Dad because he had been sick and I felt that the time was right for a visit. It was not yet summer vacation so everyone went about their usual business leaving plenty of time for Dad and me to talk.
I told Dad one evening that as I reflected on my life I realize that I’ve never had a boring day. There was always something to do or to look forward to. Dad agreed that his life also was very full.
And it was. As my cousin Sharen stated yesterday, he had many roles:
· Husband
· Father
· Grandfather
· Great – Grandfather
· Brother
· Uncle
· Friend
Dad had a lot of long term friends. Throughout the years, I would meet people and they would invariably say – I know your Dad – we worked together, or we hung out together or we went to school together and always have some fond anecdote to share about their friendship with Dad.
As an uncle to my nearly 50 cousins he was regarded with great esteem and respect. Whenever out of town cousins visited Conneaut, they always made a point of stopping by to see Uncle Joe.
Dad was the 11th of 12 children. He shared such a bond with his siblings that when their parents died in 1972, he and his siblings decided to hold annual family reunions to ensure that they would always have an opportunity and a set time to get together. Dad, along with his brothers and sisters took this very seriously and Family Reunion Day became an important holiday in the family. Even in Australia on the second Saturday of July, my family recognizes Gurto Family Reunion Day with a special feast. This year was the 32nd reunion.
Dad’s first and only Great-grandchild was born nearly 2 years ago which made Dad feel very special.
To Dad’s 15 grandchildren he loomed larger-than-life. They showered him with love and tenderness as they could recognize his frailty. After my sons visited with their grandpa and grandma in 1999, my then 10-year-old son, Timothy expressed his perception of his grandfather very eloquently in this poem.
GRANDFATHER
Through pain he lives,
This old man;
A victim of his decrepit body,
Cursed with lost abilities,
Slow moving expressions
And signs of age.
But age is wisdom:
Gained through living
On and on…
Sprouting happiness,
Teaching, yet learning.
Learning the pains of life,
From a half remembered youth.
Not knowing whether to express
Happiness or sadness
When he leaves.
But for myself, along with my brothers and sister, we remember Dad as being robust and firm. We were each his favourite in a special way. He, like most parents, did his best to ensure that each of us was treated equally and fairly. Dad tried to help us each in the ways we most needed; whether it was physically, financially or emotionally.
But obviously, the most important person in Dad’s life was Mom – his partner and companion for 50 years. Dad would always worry about how hard Mom worked and said that she needed a good break.
To paraphrase a line from a movie – When we fall in love with someone it is very special. But eventually that feeling goes away. When that feeling goes away what you’re left with is love. It is love that gives you the patience and understanding to weather the storms and cope with each other’s differences.
It is that love that keeps two people together for 50 years and it is that love that my mom and dad shared.
Dad’s sense of humor, friendliness, generosity and love will always remain in our memories. He is in a better place. It is us who must go on.
How can we go on, we ask. God will help us is the answer. But it’s times like this we ask “Where is God?”
I’ll tell you where God is today. The bible says that God is love – and that God dwells within us.
As we see so many of our friends and family gathered here to express their love and support to us, we recognize that it is God within them that is helping us and we can see what a truly wonderful Father we have.
And for this, we thank you.
Joe
August 11th 2003 was marked the worst day of my life – I lost my dad.
He was the first man I ever loved. He showed me how life is supposed to be, how to be a good person, then a family. He was always there for me to guide me – whenever I needed to know which way to turn in life. He was right there to point me in the right direction, no questions asked.
He was such a funny man. He’d tell us jokes and it never failed, even when nobody else thought they were funny, I did. He always used to tell people he liked telling me jokes because I always laughed! He made me laugh more than anyone else ever has and I’m going to miss that so much. He’d call me at work just to tell me a joke and hear me laugh at it and when I was done laughing we’d hang up. I’d laugh at that joke all day. He always brightened up my days with his jokes and his smile. If I saw him smiling that morning, I’d be smiling all day and, if he wasn’t, neither was I.
All my life, everyone would always tease me about being Dad’s favorite and being “Daddy’s Little Girl” – but you know, I’m so glad I was – I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Being “Daddy’s little Girl” was the best part of life for me and now my dad’s gone and my life will never be the same. Now I have to figure out how to live my life without all the jokes and fun he filled my life with, but most of all the guidance and support I counted on every day.
I miss you, Dad, and I love you so very much – I will see you when it’s my time so make sure you remember all those jokes you’re telling everyone up there.
– Brandy –
8 – 11 – 03
What can I say about my dad? My dad was a great guy. The more you got to know him the better he was. He loved working on the railroad, he loved his wife, Lorraine, his kids – Joe, Mike, myself, Mark, Brandy and Nick. He did everything he could for his family, we were his life . . . I guess that’s why he lived life. He spent his entire time taking care of us, making sure we were ok. I guess it was Vinnie’s turn with Dad. I find comfort in knowing that Dad is not alone, he has someone to take care of and that will take care of him as well. I know his happiness will continue on in Heaven. He was a husband, a father, a grand-father, even a great – grandfather, but most important he was my best friend. I love you Dad.
Tony
Dad.
August 11, 2003. A date that will live in my memory forever. The day I lost my best friend, my father. I held your lifeless body in my arms and wanted you back so badly, but then I thought you suffered enough. You’re in Heaven now, Dad. You’re with Grandma and Grandpa and Vinny. You’re probably sharing those same corny jokes that you shared with us. I miss those jokes, Dad. You had such a good heart and would help anybody. I never got to pay you back and I’m sorry. I put it off and put it off and now it’s too late. I’m so sorry Dad. I never got to say good-bye and tell you how much I loved you. I took it for granted that you would always be here. I came down stairs last night and went to fill your drink but you weren’t there. Why couldn’t I have woken up and checked on you Dad? Why couldn’t I be there for you? I’m so sorry. I just wanted to make you proud. You will be so missed, Dad, and as much as I want you back, I would want you in Heaven. Dad you can breathe again. I will always love you and I’ll miss you so much.
I love you,
Nick
Vinnie’s Thoughts about Grandpa
I’m going to miss my grandpa. I’ll miss peeking around the corner in the living room and seeing him sitting in his chair, and calling to me, “Hey Smokey”, and I don’t know why cause that was the cat’s name, but he had a nick name for everyone. Even though I’ll miss him, I’ll take comfort in knowing the bible says the dead are conscious of nothing, which means Grandpa is no longer suffering or struggling to breath. I also take comfort in knowing some day, I will see my grandpa again, in Paradise. I know my grandpa will be resurrected to life in Paradise. I know this because the Bible says at John 5: 25-29 “Do not marvel at this because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” Robert Frost wrote a poem that reads:
Nature’s first green is gold.
Her heart is here to hold
Her early leaves a flower
But only so an hour
Then leaf subside to leave
So Eden sank to grief
So dawn goes down today
Nothing golden can stay.
I guess what he meant by that was you’re golden when you’re young and everything’s green and new. In God’s eyes we’re all golden, 7 or 70, we should take advantage of that and seize the day. Because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
I love you Grandpa
Vinnie
Today we all grow in our own way. We all grow because of the loss of a loved one. Some lost their father. For me, a great friend. I can only hope that he’s in a much beter place, but for his family, they must stay behind for now. To help each other to grow and raise their kids. But some day we will all meet again to live together forever.
Mike Evans
Words of Remembrance
MEMORIAM TO JOE
Posted by Sharen
We grieve today for my Uncle Joe. Our hearts are sad because we will miss him. He was a husband, father, brother, son, uncle, cousin, friend. The most important role was that he was and still is a child of God. So when his Heavenly Father looked down and saw how he was suffering, He laid His hand upon his shoulder and said, “Come home my son, your job on earth is done.”
That was Joe’s gift from God on Monday morning. As for the ones he left behind, our gift from God is the gift of memory. That we might keep alive those we love. For as long as we live, Joe too shall live, for he is a part of us. Because we remember him, he will not be far away. he shall live in our hearts forever.
It is not “goodbye” it is “until then”
Sunrise April 16, 1935
Sunset August 11, 2003
Posted by Mom
Merry Christmas From Heaven
I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on cold wintry nights
I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I’ll even remind you
to please say your prayers
I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd
Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place
You don’t have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
if you continue the climb
To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I’m still close beside you
in a new special way
I love you all dearly
now don’t shed a tear
Cause I’m spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year
Unpublished work , Copyright 1989 John Wm. Mooney
From Sharen
To the Trackman
by M. H. Moses
Have you ever worked through a stormy night
While the mercury hovered low
And felt the wind through scanty clothes
As you bent to clear the snow?
Or perhaps you’ve walked the settling fills
While rain in torrents fell,
Or rerailed an engine down in the yards
On a night as dark as Hell.
You’ve tramped the cuts on frozen feet
Where rocks are apt to slip
And heard the scream of Number Three
As it roared through Murphy’s Dip.
If you’ve stopped in a shack beside the track
After knowing the track was clean
Eaten a frozen snack from a paper sack
Then you know just what I mean.
You’re in a class not known to brass
A He-Man rugged and stout
The one damn man in the railroad plan
They just can’t do without.