Joseph P. Carnicelli, age 75, passed away at home from cancer on September 15, 2017. He was born March 21, 1942 to Italian immigrant parents, Antonio and Julia Carnicelli. He attended Brooklyn Prep and St. John’s University. After serving in the Army for two years, he joined United Press International (UPI) as a sports writer and rose to the position of executive sports editor. He was also managing editor for Dow Jones/ESPN news operation in Jersey City for nine years and went on to media relations with the Heisman Trophy. Most recently, he was an independent contractor with CompuBox. Joe was a devoted husband of 50 years to his wife Peggy; cherished father to his daughter Donna and her husband John, and an adored Papa to his grandson Andrew Joseph. A private graveside memorial will be held at National Cemetery in Phoenix, AZ.
Donations in Joe’s name can be made to Disabled American Veterans PO Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or by visiting www.dav.org
Please visit Arizona’s mountainviewfuneralhomeandcemetery.com to share memories and leave condolences.
Joe, a good, intelligent, honest, caring man. Our lives are better because of you. We love you. RIP.
A great husband father and papa. He was a nice gentle person and loved his family and welcomed son into his family and treated him like a son. He loved our grandson Andrew and Andrew learned to play soccer from him. Joe you will be missed
Dear Peggy, Donna, John and Andrew….
We are so sad and heartbroken to hear that Joe has gone to his heavenly reward. The last time we saw him he was covering a boxing match here in Colorado and we saw how competedly and joyfully he did his work and how well respected snd liked he was by his colleagues. Joe was always so full of energy, knowledge, and joy. He was the best husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle and friend our family could have hoped for. We are relieved to hear that Joe did not suffer long and that you were by his side when he passed. Joe left you with many loving happy memories and we know they will be of comfort over the days and years ahead. Sending love prayers and deepest sympathies to you all.
Too, too young. Joe was such a tremendous guy. Worked with him for nine years at SportsTicker. He was, as he used to say, “an old school wire service guy”. He elevated the SportsTicker editorial business and helped to bring real writers and columnists like Jack Lang, Norm Miller, Tim Moriarty and Len Lewin to SportsTicker. He somehow managed to take a bunch of kids and turn them into a newsroom. He regaled us with stories of Hagler/Hearns and was always straightening his tie. He hired too many reporters to name. I’m so incredibly sad I did not see Joe on my last trip to Phoenix last year. RIP Joe.
I have known Joe since his days with UPI and I am so saddened by the news.
We has a great man full of honor,devoted to his family and friends
I will miss him and his comments on the sporting world.
Joe was a great guy. I always loved seeing him at fights and catching up with him. Joe , you will be missed! It wa a pleasure knowing you.
WE LOVE YOU IN A PLACE THAT HAS NO SPACE OR TIME. GOD HAS YOU IN HIS KEEPING , WE HAVE YOU IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS.
LOVE ALWAYS … PEG, DONNA, JOHN, ANDREW
My prayers for Joe and his Family. Thank You Joe for all the wonderful memories I have from being a cousin with you. Grande Cugino Riposo In Pace. R. I. P. Joe.
My cousin Joey and I worked together at UPI in New York. He helped me get hired there in the spring of 1968 when I was in my senior year at Long Island University. Even after I moved on from UPI Joey and I would see each other at sports events in the New York area. I would greet him with “But Joey,” and he would answer “But Petey.”
A lot of years passed until we reconnected on Facebook. I was hoping to see him again in the near future as my son now lives in Phoenix. He will be missed.
A great colleague at UPI. I will always own the memories of those wonderful times. My thoughts today are with Joe’s loving family. Bill Verigan
He was a terrific guy, a man in every sense of the word.
The boxing world–and everybody else in the world who knew him–mourns his passing.
We’ve lost a friend, while Heaven has gained a very special Angel.
I worked alongside Joe in many a press box over the years. Consummate professional. Classic movie version of a reporter — tough guy outside, heart of gold.
Joe was a quiet, sweet spirited man. He spoke little but when he did it was always positive. Joe was a great neighbor, a loving husband & a great father & grandpapa. We are so blessed to have known you, Joe and to have called you our friend. R. I. P.
Lou & Jane DeCola
Peggy,Donna,John and Andrew
Joe has left so many fond memories with me,Shelia and our 3 sons and their families.His advice to James,Patrick, and Brendan growing up helped them so much. Talking with them it’s plain to see how much they appreciated his advice and how much they love him. Not long ago he gave our grandson Brian advice. Joe was looking at Brian’s baseball video and he sent an E-mail telling him to never let anyone change his swing.Brian told us today that he won’t but then he want on to say “Please uncle Joe , help me find that swing again”
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
Rest In Peace Joe
Joe was my classmate at The Prep and was a friend to everyone. Outgoing, great sense of humor and even then had a sense for sports as manager of several of our sports teams.
I saw Joe at our 50th reunion and he recognized me and I had a little trouble because I remembered his nice crop of hair but heck, it was 50 years.
For sure Joe is now with his folks and with the many members of our class who have gone before him.
My condolences to his family and friends. Know that the men of The Prep will keep you in our prayers. Joe does not need them anymore.
Thomas Ignatius Hayes
St Petersburg FL
Class of 1960
Joe hired me and gave me opportunities to work major beats. To win his respect and trust was an achievement for any journalist. He taught so many of us so much. I’m grateful to have known him.
My dear, devoted Dad. I love and miss you so much! We are heartbroken that your physical presence is no longer here with us. Your spirit has filled me with goodness, and I will strive to honor your memory all the days of my life. You were such a good, intelligent, and caring man . The values that guided your life and work ethic are with me, mom, and John and will be instilled and nurtured in Andrew.
Every core relationship in your life was extra special. Your love and commitment to Mom was unparalleled. The pride and love you had for me was felt every day, and your selfless devotion to Andrew was the most beautiful and precious sight to behold.
It is my promise to you that Andrew will remember and honor the beautiful relationship you shared. He will never forget his best buddy and all the love and attention you showered him with on a daily basis. He is truly a better young man because of the positive and purposeful input you had in his upbringing.
We are a small family who rejoices in simple blessings. One of the greatest simple blessings was having you and mom so close by. The pain of loss is intensified because your absence is so profoundly felt by us all. I want to walk into your house and see you sitting in your chair reading the sports page, to see you walking through my door carrying Andrew’s backpack, to hug you and chat with you like I did every single weekday. How lucky am I to have these memories, but how sad to know that these times are gone.
I pray that your spirit will strengthen our sorrowing hearts and be an incentive to noble living. I will spend my days striving to emulate all that was good, true, and righteous in your life.
I love you Daddy! Now and forever. Rest in Peace.
Love Always,
Donna
My next backyard catch with Kaylee and Brayden will be dedicated to you Uncle Joe.
Love
Brendan
I worked with Joe at UPI, SportsTicker and CompuBox. He was a real pro and we had a lot of laughs, too. I learned a ton from him, and he was well respected by all who he came in contact with. He will be missed.
Joe worked for me at CompuBox for 20-plus years. He was a pro’s pro and a humble, respectful person with a great knowledge of sports. He had an innate ability to share that knowledge and his leadership skills in a selfless manner. Joe was so efficient at his job that I often felt I was working for him when we shared a ringside position at all the big fights. RIP Joe, you’ll be missed.
There truly are no words to express the depth of love, respect , admiration and gratitude I have for Joe, the toughest nice guy I ever met. How do ya say thank you to the friend and mentor that took a chance on a kid from Brooklyn, who was right out of college, gave him a job, mentored him into becoming a UPI Sports Writer and made him believe in himself while showing him, by example, what discipline and work ethics are all about. His nickname at UPI was “Lou” for Lou Grant, the tough, lovable boss in the Mary Tyler Moore show, played by Ed Asner. We shared so many laughs, so many great nights at ringside and in the office. Joe was these things to myself and so many other people. He would beam when he’d talk about his wife, Peg, and their daughter, Donna. If you had a daughter, Joe is the kinda guy you would want her to marry. You’d never lose a minute’s sleep over her well being. If you were in a foxhole, again, Joe’s your man. If you wanted to laugh at yourself, Joe was more than willing to help you out with his wit and sense of humor and keen sense of perspective. Joe leaves behind, a huge, sudden void in a lot of our lives. We weren’t ready to say good bye quite yet, “Lou”.
You will truly be missed by both of us. The simple memories of your easy smile, your shining bald pate, and of you walking by our house, hand-in-hand with Andrew, will be etched in our minds forever.
Joe was the best father-in-law a man could have. He was a devoted husband, father and Papa. I owe him so much and could never say “thank you” enough. You raised a wonderful daughter who I am lucky to have met and married. I loved watching him interact with Andrew, playing with him and teaching him. I have so many memories, from playing Scattergories to watching sports and listening to his stories. I especially loved his story about the Hearns/Hagler fight and the publicity tour. You made ever life you touched better. You will be missed but will never be forgotten. Your spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of all who loved you.
Love,
John
Joe was one of my very first friends in the boxing business. In his position as an editor at UPI at the time, Joe became a mentor to me as I navigated the ins and outs of becoming a boxing publicist while already on the job. Joe was never afraid to let me know when I screwed something up. And that’s why it always felt so good when he let me know that I got it right. Joe talked about his wife and daughter all the time. He was so proud of them. While we had not been in day to day contact for many years, it always made my day to see him at the fights and catch up. I was very sorry, today, to learn of Joe’s untimely passing. God bless him, his family and his soul. He will be missed.
I remember always looking forward to Easter at Uncle Joe and Aunt Peggy’s house growing up. Once I was no longer living at home, I loved seeing Uncle Joe at work on the road when boxing came to a town near me, whether in DC or Denver.
One memory that will always endure: Early in my relationship with Vanessa, Uncle Joe got me two tickets to a match in DC that he was covering; little did we know it was second row ringside! It was an awesome experience to be that close to the action (at least I thought so; not sure Vanessa agreed!).
I’ll miss you, Uncle Joe. And my thoughts are with you, Aunt Peggy, Donna, John and Andrew.
Lots of love and hugs from me and my family,
Vince, Vanessa, Leo, Max and Emma