1931 – 2016

GARDINER — Joseph Curato Jr. died peacefully Friday, Dec. 30, surrounded by his family.

Joe was born Feb. 11, 1931, in Rumford to Italian immigrants, Guiseppe Corrado, originally of Avella, Avellino, Italy, and Maria Concezia Peperato Corrado, originally of Pacentro, L’Aquila, Italy. Joe was forever proud of his Italian heritage and the extended Curato family. His death marks the end of his generation of 12 Curato children, which started with the birth of his oldest sibling, Vincenzo, in 1909.

Joe was born, raised and educated in Rumford. Upon completing his secondary education, Joe served in the U.S. Navy, including duty aboard the USS Northampton as a Navy cook. He was proud to be a Korean War-era veteran. Returning from the Navy, he married his cherished wife of 60 years, Marguerite. Joe and Mickey started a family while Joe earned his teaching degree from the University of Maine at Farmington. Joe furthered his own education by continuing at the University of Maine at Orono earning a master’s degree and a certificate of advanced studies.

Joe spent 30 years in the SAD 11 school system as a teacher, grade school principal, junior high school principal and assistant superintendent. Many Gardiner area students of that era have been heard to say, “Mr. Curato was my principal forever.”

Upon his retirement, Joe dedicated his life to his many interests, most faithfully to his religion, most lovingly to his family, most ferociously to golf. Joe was a lifelong communicant at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gardiner and served as a lecturer, known for his clear, commanding readings. Of the many lessons Joe taught those around him was that family is everything. He so loved his parents, each and every brother and sister, and his dozens and dozens of Curato family cousins and nieces and nephews. He saved his greatest love for his wife, his sons and their spouses, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Joe was an excellent golfer. He taught another life lesson to us all who joined him on the golf course through his fervent adherence to the rules of golf — what is right is right. He and Mickey were members at Meadowhill, the Augusta Country Club where Joe served a term as president, Springbrook, and finally Cobbossee. Joe shared his love of golf with Mickey, his sons, his brothers, and his many, many friends. In his life in education and in his pursuit of his many interests, Joe taught us right from wrong, he taught us to never forget where we came from, and he modelled a life for us to emulate committed to family and to making life better for our children, as he and Mickey surely did.

Joe, Dad, Mr. Curato, Uncle Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Mickey; their sons, Michael and Peter, Michael’s wife, Susan and their daughter, Jennifer, her husband, Jason and their children, Gabriella and Michael; their son, Nicholas, his wife, Christina and their son, Paul, and their daughter, Emily, and Peter’s family, Barbara Redmond, their daughter, Rebecca, her husband, Ricky and their children, Olivia and Matthew, as well as hundreds of Curato family cousins, nieces and nephews.

Joe was predeceased by his parents and all 11 of his siblings.