Memorial Trees
S
Skip & Barbara
October 28, 2025
Memorial trees planted for:
Joseph Anthony LiVolsi Sr AND Sandra Swinney LiVolsi
<p>After 68 years of marriage and being life partners on earth, Joe and Sandra LiVolsi have passed on together.</p><p><br></p><p>Joseph Anthony LiVolsi, Sr., born March 6, 1935 died on October 14, 2025 at the age of 90 years. Son of the late Anthony Livolsi (Castelbuono, Sicily) and Josephine Puliafico (Olivieri, Sicily), Joe was born in Holden, MA and grew up in Barre, MA, and, while an only child, he was part of a very large extended family of uncles, aunts, and cousins.</p><p><br></p><p>While attending Barre High School, he participated in a number of student groups and played on multiple sports teams, showing talent enough to gain a pitching tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Considered quite the comic, he was referred to as "our local Jerry Lewis," and held the role as the bantering comic in Barre variety shows.</p><p><br></p><p>Sandra Jacqueline Swinney LiVolsi, born August 24, 1936, died on October 18, 2025 at the age of 89 years. Daughter of the late Frank Swinney and Gladys Elisabeth Estelle Willis, Sandra was born and grew up in Cedartown, GA. While attending Cedartown High School she was voted "Most Outstanding" and was involved in a number of school groups, including 4-H, student government, and Girls' State. Standing 5'9" tall, she also played center on the girls' basketball team!</p><p><br></p><p>Joe was introduced to Sandra by a friend at a social event while attending Jacksonville State College in Jacksonville, AL; Joe majoring in history and Sandra majoring in business education. After marrying in August of 1957, they moved to Washington, D.C., where Joe spent time in the U.S. Army. Later working across Maryland with the F.W. Woolworth Co., the family moved to Westminster, MD in 1972 when Joe became an industrial arts teacher. He taught in Carroll County, MD schools until his retirement. He loved working in his shop after he retired, making three grandfather clocks for the family, and toys for his grandchildren.</p><p><br></p><p>When not working Joe focused on his family, often becoming a "kid" again sledding down the local hills during winter, occasional nighttime hikes, and coaching little league baseball and basketball. Weekly calls to his "Ma" kept him in touch with his Puliafico family in Barre.</p><p><br></p><p>Sandra was a stay-at-home mom, devoting her time to raising her three children until they were in school. Then she taught business education classes in Washington, Allegany, and finally, Carroll County, MD until her retirement. She was a popular teacher, having had a yearbook dedicated to her, with former students still asking for her to this day. As she was a typing teacher, one student always joked, "She's just my type!" Being a master of shorthand and typing, she was able to easily take down the lyrics of Saturday morning cartoon theme songs, and then type them out so her young children could sing along.</p><p><br></p><p>Having moved away from Cedartown, she seemed to lose her southern accent. But, each Sunday when she telephoned home it all came streaming back. A true southern lady (specifically a Georgia Peach), she was very proud of her southern heritage and the fact that her ancestors were founding settlers of Georgia and the United States. For years, she was an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.</p><p><br></p><p></p><p>After retiring, they moved to Bradenton, FL in 2002 and continued to enjoy life. Among other social pursuits, Sandra took up painting water colors, and they both played golf. Joe even got a hole-in-one.</p><p><br></p><p>They were wonderful parents and grandparents, devoted to each other and their family. "Home" was wherever they were.</p><p><br></p><p>They are survived by daughter Terry (John) Cisar; Sons Joe (Theresa Manning) and Frank; grandchildren Joey Cisar, Joseph (Sheila Clark) LiVolsi, Frank (Kate Quinn) LiVolsi, and Catherine LiVolsi; and great-granddaughter Mairi LiVolsi.</p><p><br></p><p>Services will be held in Bradenton with burial at Sarasota National Cemetery.</p><p><br></p><p>Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Share Obituary: