Joseph P. Tolfa

Joseph P. Tolfa, 78, entered eternal peace on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Palm Beach Medical Center after suffering a heart attack. He was the devoted son of Lorenzo and Olga (Sacket) Tolfa.

Joe grew up in St. Johnsville NY where he worked, played/socialized, and graduated from high school. Joe was even a pinsetter at the local bowling alley and he played basketball, baseball, and idolized Mickey Mantle. He may well have listened to every one of Mantle's at-bats on the radio for years. After graduating high school, Joe went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Siena College, as well as, two Master's Degrees in Education from SUNY Oneonta. These led him to his career in teaching 6th grade Math in the Mohonasen School District for 32 years. During his tenure at Mohonasen, he developed a great rapport with his students, which inspired him to create a monthly event called Teen Town. This gave students a Friday night fun time to socialize with games, music, and food at the school. Along with Joe's desire to positively impact students, he shared with them his love for cars (especially his Corvettes), told corny jokes, and made Math fun.

Joe was a member of Pinehaven Country Club where he walked 18 holes 6 days a week for over 25 years. He also started and competed in the Chili Dog Open at Whispering Pines Golf Course for over two decades. In this fun, end of the school year golf tournament, golfers could reduce their scores 1 for 1 by the amount of chili dogs they ate!

Strongly disliking the cold weather and snow up North, Joe spent winters in Jupiter, FL but always spent summers back home in Guilderland. If you called Joe in Florida and got his answering machine, the message would be, "This is Joe from sunny south Florida". Being in Florida allowed him to take up golf ball hunting outside the perimeter of local golf courses and spend time bike riding and playing golf more.

Joe made friends with everyone he came across. He was a kind, caring, funny, and generous man with an affinity for puns/jokes that both his friends and former students heard numerous times but never grew tired of. Joe was blessed with more true friends than you can count. As they grieve their loss, they will continue to fondly remember him and embrace how much he enriched their lives by sharing stories and their times together and remembering his unique, endearing ways.

Joe is survived by his loving sister, Sandra Tolfa Weckter, who has many fond memories of them growing up, many first and second cousins from both sides of the family, as well as many dear friends. We'd like to give a special thank you to his two Florida cousins, Connie Terricola and Terry (Maria) Terricola, with whom he enjoyed frequent meals, celebrated holidays while in Florida, and knew they would be there to support him whenever he needed. Joe was also survived by and loved by Andrea Lilley (the daughter he never had), her husband Chad Lilley, and their two children he always referred to as his grandchildren, Jackson and Brooke (Brookie) Lilley; to them he was Grampa Joe or Joe Joe. Their dog Dukie, who stole his heart even though he wasn't an animal lover, also survives him. Also, near and dear to his heart were Henno Karmo, his wife Susan and their children Krista (Scott) Hamilton and their son Henri; Anneli (Harry) Martel and their children Quinn and Rory who all loved Joe and lovingly referred to him as Uncle Joe.

He was predeceased by his parents and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Joe's most famous quote was "I am a lucky guy" and Joe, we were even luckier to have you touch all our lives.

Calling hours will be held Monday, May 1, 2023 from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, with a prayer service following at 6 pm, at New Comer Funeral Home; 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 12pm at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, 119 Reid St., Ft. Plain NY 13339. Interment will follow at St.Johnsville Cemetery/Prospect View Cemetery, 44 Center St., St. Johnsville, NY 13452.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Joe's name to the City Mission of Schenectady, 425 Hamilton St., Schenectady, NY 12305 or The Mohonasen Foundation of Excellence Inc., P.O. Box 4207, Schenectady, NY 12304.