Joseph C. Mascia Jr., 56, of Westwood, formerly of Dedham, died of pancreatic cancer on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at his home in Westwood.
Born in Newton, son of Joseph C. Mascia of Knightdale, NC and the late Louise (Bonnano) Mascia, he graduated from Dedham High School in 1969. He went on to complete an associate's degree at Massachusetts Bay Community College before enlisting in the United States Army. After serving for over three years in the U.S. and Germany, he was honorably discharged as a Specialist Fifth Class in November 1977.
Mr. Mascia was president of Service First Insurance Agency, Inc. in Dedham, which he founded in 1987, and was a member of the Massachusetts Business Association. He also belonged to the Italian-American Citizens Club of Dedham and the Dedham Rotary Club, and once served as president of the Westwood Gridiron Club.
He leaves his wife of 26 years, Therese (Mullen) Mascia, of Westwood; two daughters, Kristen and Jennifer, and a son, Joseph; two sisters, Louise Mullen of Westwood, and Janet Marriott of Rochester, NY; and six nephews.
His funeral will be held from the George F. Doherty & Sons Wilson-Cannon Funeral Home, 456 High St. Dedham, on Monday at 10 AM with a funeral mass in St. Denis Church, Westwood, at 11 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment will follow in New Westwood Cemetery, Westwood. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 3-9 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the nation's leading pancreatic cancer advocacy organization, at www.pancan.org.