Joseph Marenghi, age 80, of Williamsburg, Virginia, passed away on Sunday August 4 surrounded by his loving family.

The son of Italian and Irish immigrants, Celeste Marenghi and Mary O’Hara, Joe was born “Giuseppe” in Dunoon, Scotland in 1938 at the outbreak of World War II. Joe was raised in a boisterous house in Glasgow, the youngest of six siblings, Charles, Nina, Netta, Michael and Maria.

Bright and ambitious, Joe was educated at St. Aloysius Academy, the University of Glasgow, and the Royal College of Science and Technology where he earned an advanced degree in Business and Management.  After five years with Honeywell U.K., Joe emigrated to the U.S. in 1966.  Joe enjoyed a career in consulting, operations and general management. Prior to retiring to Williamsburg, Virginia in 2003, Joe managed a division of Flowserve Corporation for sixteen years in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he and his wife supported Madonna House and Joe served on the board of Catholic Charities.

Joe is survived by his wife, Catherine (Miller); his sisters, Maria and Netta; children, Joseph (Shannah), Michael (Jennifer), Steven, and Sarah Yoder ( Emmerich); grandchildren, Francesca Barney (Daniel), Rudy Marenghi, Katie Marenghi, Elena Marenghi, Julia Marenghi, Emmerich Yoder, Tessa Yoder, Stella Yoder; great-grandson Beckett Barney.

Joe’s loved ones remember him as a thoughtful, kind-hearted and generous man who loved to take care of his family and play with his grandkids.  Joe had a lifelong love of sports and history.  He co-founded the Irvine Soccer Club with fellow Brits, and coached his sons’ teams.   His love of history led him to research and publish a book, American Pilgrim, documenting early Catholic heritage across the U.S. and to volunteer as a docent at Historic Jamestown.  Joe was a lifelong learner and loved to take courses from William & Mary adult education.  Joe was a member of the Saint Bede Catholic Church, where he volunteered at the William & Mary Catholic Campus Ministry.

A funeral service will be held at Saint Bede Catholic Church on Friday, September 6, at 11:00 am.

Cremation Society of Virginia-Newport News assisted the family with the arrangements.