Joseph Salvatore Straniero, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully July 24, 2025.
Born Sept. 15, 1930, in Hazlet (when it was still known as Raritan Township), he grew up working the family farm along with his seven siblings. Joe served in the United States Navy for four years during the 1950s. After his military service, he began a career with the Penn Central Railroad as a locomotive engineer, eventually retiring from Amtrak at the age of 62.
He then embarked on a second career as a crossing guard with Middletown Township. He was affectionately known as “Crossing Guard Joe” until he retired at the age of 92 after serving for almost 30 years.
Joe was married to Emily Kowtko Straniero for 68 years. Together they had six children.
Joe is survived by children Joe and Stan, Bill and Kathy, Rich and Joan, and Bobby and Laurie; grandchildren, Billy, Danielle, Laura, Alex, Sam, Richie, Jessica, Sean, Paige, Kaitlyn, Dominick, Jessica, Bobby and Kelsi; and great-grandchildren, Wells, Brooks, Dominick, Mackenzie and Kaylee. He is also survived by brother Tony and his wife Glenda, and sister-in law Zabelle.
Joe was predeceased by his daughter Diane and son Donald; his parents, Nicholas and Rosalie (Tuscan) Straniero; brother Sam and his wife Loretta; brother John and his wife Kitty; brother Nick and his wife Leona; sister Ann Canizzaro and her husband Ben; sister Lena Pallito and her husband James; and brother Gino.
Joe loved to bowl and tend his vegetable and fruit garden. He also enjoyed spending time with his family. Joe loved working on thousand-piece puzzles and painting landscapes in oil.
Joe was a member of the Middletown Township Veterans of Foreign Wars, local 2179, a member of the Middletown Elks post 2179, and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive, Engineers and Trainmen Union.
Friends and family paid their respects July 29 and 30 at Scott & Kedz Home for Funerals, Belford. A service followed the July 30 viewing. The burial and committal followed the service at Fairview Cemetery.
The article originally appeared in the July 31 – August 6, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
