Joe Dafflitto, in Memory

It is with great sadness that we share with you, Joe Dafflitto passed away on Thursday, April 1, 2021. Joe was a long-time volunteer for Marine Parents who helped pack thousands of care packages for our combat-deployed troops from 2005 through 2014. Our thoughts are with his wife, Joni and his family at this time.

Joe was a faithful supporter of MarineParents.com for years. His dedication and commitment to support the troops through the care package project never waivered. He was instrumental in turning our warehouse into an office in 2009. He and his wife, Joni, have remained friends with me outside of the organization. We will miss Joe, his smile, and the way he filled a room! Tracy Della Vecchia, Founder

Joe Dafflitto was an extremely dedicated volunteer who who never said no to anything we needed from him. Joe was a husband, a father, and a grandfather. His personality immediately filled a room with his exuberance and a never-ending smile.

His pride as the father of a Marine was second to none. Through the years, Joe and Joni participated in our national conferences and 30+ pack days packing and shipping care packages overseas to the troops. Joe was the raffle-ticket King at conferences and pack days wearing a bright red Marine Corps apron and bringing in extra donations during each event with his Italian-heritage charm.

When it was time for the organization to turn a warehouse into an office, there was nothing Joe and his two Marine father friends wouldn't do for us. Joe, Kevin, and Wayland came to be known as the three musketeers, spending entire weekends in a row building out the office. Joe brought his sparkle to the weekends each time and everyone enjoyed every minute of the "work" being done.

Joe and Joni worked with the founder, Tracy Della Vecchia, when the care packages were still being shipped from the barn at her home in Columbia. They would get up at 5 am for the drive to town so they could be there for the entire day. At the pack days, he and "Post Office Joe" became great friends and were the two seen loading up the post office trucks to make sure each package was loaded on the correct truck and headed to the airport that day.

Joe's solution to every problem we may have encountered as a grass roots organization was "What do you need?" and he would figure out a way to get us what we needed or find someone to get it done for us. "No" was never in his vocabulary when it came to his time and energy to support MarineParents.com. He was a great man.

We have hundreds of photos we could share for so many times we gathered together in support of our troops. Joe's passion for troop support shines in these photos. You will be missed Joe. God Bless and Semper Fi, Marine Dad!