Joseph A. Cimaszewski, on May 13, 2015, of Washington Twp., age 64. Joseph was born on April 28, 1951 in Poland. His given name is Jozef Antoni Cimaszewski. He was one of five children to Zofia Makowska and Witold Cimaszewski, both of whom are deceased. He was a beloved brother to Janina Cimaszewska, Richard Cimaszewski, John Cimaszewski, Stanly Cimaszewski, and Regina Wisniewska. Although estranged, he was father to Joseph Cimaszewski, Christopher Cimaszewski, and Brigitte Mc
Govern. Joseph was a devoted uncle to Stephanie Bernal as well as a beloved great uncle to her children, Filimon Bernal, Sofia Bernal, and Alyssa Bernal.
Joseph, Uncle Joe as I called him, arrived in the United States from Poland as a boy. He grew up with his parents and siblings in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. As a young man, Uncle Joe decided to leave school and work with a family friend as a roofer to earn some extra money to help out his family. Roofing began as just a job so that he could earn some extra cash to help his family, but it turned into a life-long career for Uncle Joe. He was his happiest when he was working on a roof. Most men go to work or have a career to make money, but not Uncle Joe. Life and work was never about the almighty dollar with him. Both in his life and in his work, it was about making those around him happy. He truly loved to work. And because he was the man he was, he spent his life working to help his family.
Most of my memories of Uncle Joe are of him selflessly helping his family. I remember my mom and him telling stories of how he helped his brothers get jobs on the roof. Each and every time his brothers messed up, he was there to lend a helping hand and pick them back up again. He never turned his back on his family. He was very close to my mom, his sister Janina. Growing up, I remember him coming in and out of our lives. I always thought he would only come around when he needed my mom’s help. My perspectives were young and naïve. Growing up, I always thought it was him that needed us. Even recently because of all his trials and tribulations, I thought this to be true. But I now realize, we were the ones that always needed him.
These are just a few of the memories I have of my Uncle Joe giving selflessly to his family. When I was in high school and my mom was too afraid to teach me how to drive, Uncle Joe stepped in and taught me how to drive. We would often talk about how he thinks he went through multiple heart attacks trying to accomplish that task. When I graduated high school, he brought me my first car. When I got married to my wonderful husband, he paid for my wedding. When my husband needed a better job, he took him on the roof with him and taught my husband everything he knew about roofing. When we bought our first house in Philadelphia, Uncle Joe rushed to remodel it before the birth of my daughter, Sofia. When we brought our house in New Jersey, Uncle Joe was there to help with maintenance and repairs. Just before his passing, as a final gift, he remodeled my kitchen. I complained and moaned through the whole process. The only thanks that Uncle Joe wanted was for me to show off his work. He wanted me to invite people over to see what he could create. I never got around to honoring his request to show his talents and hard work. But, today, I will do so by inviting friends and family to my house to see his last masterpiece. Please join us to celebrate his life, his talent, and his accomplishments. I don’t think I really ever got a chance to tell him thank you for all the things he had done for me. But, I am so truly grateful for the selfless person that my uncle was. Uncle Joe, “I love you and thank you for being part of my life!”
Joe or “Joe Ski”, as he was called on the roof, gave 110% of himself to his career. Due to a mistake made in his youth, his career in roofing was cut short and he had to leave that which made him happiest, WORK. Although he worked over 40 years, you would think that he would welcome the chance to relax, but not Uncle Joe. He couldn’t sit still. He had to keep busy. He had to work. He began to reignite another passion he had, remodeling. It all started 25 years ago when he built my mom’s kitchen with his bare hands. No stock cabinets were used, no semi-customs built from Home Depot were used. Uncle Joe used his head, his heart, and his hands to build my mom a custom kitchen. He then went on to remodel my first house, two houses of his own, and eventually the entire downstairs in my current home. He had just begun to work on my mother’s kitchen and was planning to remodel my two bathrooms upstairs when God called to him. I think God knew that “Joe Ski” would never be able to sit still and stop working. God stepped in and took Joe home with him because he knew that it was time for him to truly retire and finally rest. But I believe that Uncle Joe is up in heaven pacing around trying to find something to fix or someone to help.
Uncle Joe was never lucky in love. He spent his life searching for the perfect companion and never found her. I believe that his selflessness got in the way. Uncle Joe knew how to love unconditionally. He never attached conditions to his love. Unfortunately, not many people know how to love unconditionally. But, Uncle Joe, I want you to know that you are now in Heaven with a God who does not place conditions on his love.
I want to leave you with one final anecdote about my beloved Uncle Joe. In a letter written on his behalf by his employers at Jottan, Inc., it describes Uncle Joe as such: “Joe is not an employee that is expendable to us. He is the exception and therefore irreplaceable.” We, his sister and niece feel the same. We feel that “Joe is not a brother or uncle that was expendable to us. He was the exception and therefore irreplaceable!” Uncle Joe, you can never be replaced in our hearts. We love and miss you dearly.
Uncle Joe, “never selfish always loving and kind, these are the memories you leave behind.”

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing Wednesday, May 20th, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Egizi Funeral Home, 119 Ganttown Rd., Washington Twp. Funeral Service 8:00 pm. Interment will be private. Gathering after funeral will take place at 60 Olympia Lane, Sicklerville, NJ 08081. Valley Green Development, Washington Twp.