Obituary for Joseph Biondo
Joe Biondo (Papa Joe) - A man of joy, called home on December 5th, 2022
On December 5th, at 7:37 pm, Joe Biondo, or "Papa Joe," took his last breath here on this Earth. His moment of passing marked what he considered the beginning of the most valuable journey in his 88 years—the moment he would begin his trip home. Throughout his life, Joe knew the profound truth that he was living in a "not-home-yet" state as a stranger on this Earth. That because of his faith in Jesus Christ, he was, in fact, the son of the King, the blood-bought beneficiary of an eternity in the presence of his Savior, and a citizen of the eternal Kingdom in Heaven. Because of this truth, and by God's grace, Papa Joe was more than ready to harmoniously and finally go home, surrounded by family and at peace.
While we will miss him deeply, for he was indeed a man of great influence and had an impact on so many, we find comfort in the knowledge that he is finally home. We are heartened that his mission on Earth has been accomplished, his battle has been won, and his eternal hope is now his certain reality.
Joe was the firstborn son of Sicilian immigrant Michele Biundo (Michael Biondo). Michael came through Ellis Island on August 1st, 1923, and journeyed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he would meet and marry the daughter of a Sicilian family in the community, Catherine Morello, on June 24th, 1933. A year later, on November 4th, 1934, Joe was born as the eldest of four siblings. He grew up on the Southwest side of Grand Rapids, and went to Catholic Central High School, class of 1953, where in his senior year, he met the joy, love, and treasure of his life, Anne Doran, on a blind date. They were married on May 11th, 1956. Their 64-year-long story of love and intimacy is one rooted in faithfulness and devotion to each other, a desire to serve, and a deep faith in Jesus Christ that shaped their lives and the lives of the hundreds of others they met along their way.
In Joe's life, he was called to serve, bring joy, and make much of others in every relationship he encountered and in the community that God placed him in. To fulfill this calling, Joe and Anne counted their 6 children, 12 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren as not only precious gifts from God but a trust to be nurtured, trained up, and surrendered to the Lord for His glory and the good of others.
For all of us who knew Papa Joe or spent just a little bit of time with him, we experienced his special brand of bringing joy into every relationship he had. He also had a unique way of beginning those relationships—Joe would often start the encounter with an energetic handshake that commonly caused concern about blood flow returning to your hand once the shake had ended. (He always taught his sons that a firm handshake was how a man introduced himself to others).
Joe would never say he was a teacher. Yet he taught so much through example, deed, service, and consistency. Joe would never really say that he did big, remarkable things. Yet his story is one of doing the small things of life remarkably well. He gave himself to others, loved deeply, stayed faithful to Christ-exalting principles every day, and knew that he was on a mission to clearly point to Jesus as the one thing in his life that drove everything he did.
This verse from Psalms 73 describes Joe, as he would say, "to a T!":
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and after this life you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
This is Joe Biondo! He loved Jesus, gave his life to Him, lived for Him, and knew Him as his Savior and Lord. He devoted himself to loving others well and making much of them - Anne first, for sure, and then all the rest of us who had the great joy of being witness to his life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Wow! Well done, Papa Joe. Mission accomplished. Your character, sweetness, strength, warmth, and joy have inspired many. The ripple effects of your life on Earth continue on as we go and do the same. You are now, have been, and forever will be, deeply loved.
Here is a note from Joe's children, written to him and Anne several years back, that remains true to this day:
"We, your children, know with great certainty that we have been deeply blessed to have such generous, devoted, Godly, humble, and faithful parents. We also know that God places children in families. It is by His sovereign goodness to each of us that He has placed us under your care. We are forever grateful to our gracious Father for placing us in this family. We are very proud of you, very proud of our name, and very proud of our heritage."
To help bring comfort and inspiration for the tomorrows we will experience on Earth as Papa Joe is in Heaven, it's important to remember to live life as Joe did, and let his voice help us move forward as he often said—"Keep shining!"
The Celebration of Life:
Papa Joe's family would like to invite you to a celebration of his life on January 7th, 2023, at 11:00 am. The celebration will be held at Crossroads Bible Church, 800 Scribner, Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. The Church will be open at 10am for those who would like to greet the Family before the celebration. A meal will be served after the celebration.
Any gifts to honor Joe can be given to the Alpha Women's Center, alphagrandrapids.org. He and Anne loved their mission for life and served there for years.
On December 5th, at 7:37 pm, Joe Biondo, or "Papa Joe," took his last breath here on this Earth. His moment of passing marked what he considered the beginning of the most valuable journey in his 88 years—the moment he would begin his trip home. Throughout his life, Joe knew the profound truth that he was living in a "not-home-yet" state as a stranger on this Earth. That because of his faith in Jesus Christ, he was, in fact, the son of the King, the blood-bought beneficiary of an eternity in the presence of his Savior, and a citizen of the eternal Kingdom in Heaven. Because of this truth, and by God's grace, Papa Joe was more than ready to harmoniously and finally go home, surrounded by family and at peace.
While we will miss him deeply, for he was indeed a man of great influence and had an impact on so many, we find comfort in the knowledge that he is finally home. We are heartened that his mission on Earth has been accomplished, his battle has been won, and his eternal hope is now his certain reality.
Joe was the firstborn son of Sicilian immigrant Michele Biundo (Michael Biondo). Michael came through Ellis Island on August 1st, 1923, and journeyed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he would meet and marry the daughter of a Sicilian family in the community, Catherine Morello, on June 24th, 1933. A year later, on November 4th, 1934, Joe was born as the eldest of four siblings. He grew up on the Southwest side of Grand Rapids, and went to Catholic Central High School, class of 1953, where in his senior year, he met the joy, love, and treasure of his life, Anne Doran, on a blind date. They were married on May 11th, 1956. Their 64-year-long story of love and intimacy is one rooted in faithfulness and devotion to each other, a desire to serve, and a deep faith in Jesus Christ that shaped their lives and the lives of the hundreds of others they met along their way.
In Joe's life, he was called to serve, bring joy, and make much of others in every relationship he encountered and in the community that God placed him in. To fulfill this calling, Joe and Anne counted their 6 children, 12 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren as not only precious gifts from God but a trust to be nurtured, trained up, and surrendered to the Lord for His glory and the good of others.
For all of us who knew Papa Joe or spent just a little bit of time with him, we experienced his special brand of bringing joy into every relationship he had. He also had a unique way of beginning those relationships—Joe would often start the encounter with an energetic handshake that commonly caused concern about blood flow returning to your hand once the shake had ended. (He always taught his sons that a firm handshake was how a man introduced himself to others).
Joe would never say he was a teacher. Yet he taught so much through example, deed, service, and consistency. Joe would never really say that he did big, remarkable things. Yet his story is one of doing the small things of life remarkably well. He gave himself to others, loved deeply, stayed faithful to Christ-exalting principles every day, and knew that he was on a mission to clearly point to Jesus as the one thing in his life that drove everything he did.
This verse from Psalms 73 describes Joe, as he would say, "to a T!":
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and after this life you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
This is Joe Biondo! He loved Jesus, gave his life to Him, lived for Him, and knew Him as his Savior and Lord. He devoted himself to loving others well and making much of them - Anne first, for sure, and then all the rest of us who had the great joy of being witness to his life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Wow! Well done, Papa Joe. Mission accomplished. Your character, sweetness, strength, warmth, and joy have inspired many. The ripple effects of your life on Earth continue on as we go and do the same. You are now, have been, and forever will be, deeply loved.
Here is a note from Joe's children, written to him and Anne several years back, that remains true to this day:
"We, your children, know with great certainty that we have been deeply blessed to have such generous, devoted, Godly, humble, and faithful parents. We also know that God places children in families. It is by His sovereign goodness to each of us that He has placed us under your care. We are forever grateful to our gracious Father for placing us in this family. We are very proud of you, very proud of our name, and very proud of our heritage."
To help bring comfort and inspiration for the tomorrows we will experience on Earth as Papa Joe is in Heaven, it's important to remember to live life as Joe did, and let his voice help us move forward as he often said—"Keep shining!"
The Celebration of Life:
Papa Joe's family would like to invite you to a celebration of his life on January 7th, 2023, at 11:00 am. The celebration will be held at Crossroads Bible Church, 800 Scribner, Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. The Church will be open at 10am for those who would like to greet the Family before the celebration. A meal will be served after the celebration.
Any gifts to honor Joe can be given to the Alpha Women's Center, alphagrandrapids.org. He and Anne loved their mission for life and served there for years.