Joseph Anthony Fugarino

Joseph Anthony Fugarino, age 78, met our heavenly father at his home on Sunday, July 30th. Cremation has taken place and the Memorial Service is Friday, August 4, 2023, at 1:00pm at Downing & Lahey Mortuary, 10515 W Maple St, Wichita, KS 67209. Joe was born in Long Island, New York on April 3, 1945, to Anthony Peter and Maria Anne (Fiduccia) Fugarino. After graduation Joe attended Parsons College in Fairfield, IA, where he met and married Viola Hoage on August 20, 1966. After college Joe started his first career endeavor in the banking industry as a loan officer. Joe and Viola had three sons from their union and their family moved through several Iowa cities as Joe was promoted through the Banking ranks. It was one of these banking moves that brought their family to the Wichita area, but Joe and Vi divorced a couple of years later after 25 years of marriage. Joe attended Friends University and upon his graduation transitioned careers and became the Safety and Training Manager for School Services & Leasing. Joe also met Rita Joyce Middlebrook during this time and the two were married on May 6, 1995. Joe would finish his career with School Services and Leasing and retire after working there for over 15+ years. Joe enjoyed trains and dogs but he had a passion for woodworking, which he shared with his sons and grandchildren. Joe custom turned wood and crafted beautiful handmade cradles and rocking horses for his grandchildren, along with many other handmade projects. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Anthony and Maria “Mary”(Fiduccia) Fugarino and his brothers-in-law, Anthony Sferlazza, Andrew Villamagna Sr, and Foster Taft, and son-in-law, Matt Suchan. Joe is survived by his wife of 28 years, Rita (Middlebrook) Fugarino; sons, Christopher “Scott” Fugarino and Julie Eckhart and Joseph (Marci) Fugarino of Wichita, James (Sheila) Fugarino of Clearwater, KS, stepdaughters, Jennifer Suchan and Jeannette (Gary) Block of Wichita; sisters, Lee Sferlazza of Commack, NY, Mary Taft of Three Rivers, CA, and Patricia Villamagna of Wichita, KS; grandchildren, Olivia (Tim) Comfort of Omaha, NE, Alexander Fugarino, Matthew Fugarino, Brennen (Aubrey Roeder) Fugarino and Bryson Fugarino of Wichita, Tyler Fugarino and Nathan Fugarino of Clearwater, KS, Braeden Holmes of Wichita, Bailey (Jake) Ayala of Tulsa, OK, Brett Block and Makenzie Block of Wichita; three great-grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews.