Joseph Francis Crowley, 45, who grew up in Norwood, NJ, passed away suddenly early Wednesday morning December 2, 2015. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey during a fierce spring blizzard on March 30, 1970 (his mother’s birthday) to John F. Crowley and Barbara Valentino Crowley (Baptiste).
He was a 1988 graduate of Bergen Catholic High School, where he served as Junior Class President. He was also a 1992 graduate of Stetson University in Deland, Florida. Joe’s wit and humor, combined with remarkable compassion for others, were the trademarks of his soul and spirit and will be long remembered by everyone in life who had the pleasure to know him. His life long commitment “to serve and to protect” others carried through his career as a Baltimore Police Officer, and as a member of the United States Navy Reserve. He comes from a family with a long history of police and military service.
When he was just four years old in 1975, Joe’s father, Englewood Police Sergeant John F. Crowley, died while on duty. Joe’s mother Barbara raised him with great love, supported by her second husband and Joe’s stepfather, Louis Baptiste as well as Joe’s now deceased grandparents, Frank and Jeanette Valentino.
Joe leaves to this world the two most important people to him, his two beautiful daughters: Hannah Barbara (aged four), and Emily Lea (one year old). His mother, Barbara, survives Joe. His brothers, John F. Crowley of Princeton, NJ and Jason Louis Baptiste, of New York City, his sisters-in law, Aileen Crowley and Lauren Baptiste and his stepfather, Louis Baptiste, also survive him. “Uncle Joe” will be especially missed by his nephews, John F. Crowley, III and Patrick Francis Crowley, both of Princeton and his niece, Megan Kathryn, a freshman at the University of Notre Dame.
He was the beloved nephew of Michele Valentino, of East Haven, CT; Englewood Deputy Chief of Police (Retired) James J. Crowley, of Washington Twp., NJ; and Catherine Crowley Beneventano, of Medford Lakes, NJ. Joe was very thankful for the friendship of his mother’s husband, Robert Moreus. And Joe had no better friend that his cousin, Baltimore Police Sergeant Jim Crowley.
Visitation will be at the Pizzi Funeral Home located at 120 Paris Avenue in Northvale, NJ from 4-8pm on Sunday. The Funeral Mass will be at 10am on Monday at Sacred Heart Church located on 102 Park Street in Haworth, NJ. Joseph will be interred beside his father’s gravesite at Mount Carmel Cemetery Tenafly, NJ immediately following the Funeral Mass.
www.pizzifuneralhome.com