Joseph Felix Tonelli, 96, of Pass-a-Grille Beach, passed away peacefully on August 12, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born in Buffalo, NY to Italian immigrant parents and it was very apparent that Joe was born an artist! Recognizing his exceptional talent, his parents allowed him to ride a city bus to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, PA, where his family moved when Joe was 10 years old. It was there that Joe excelled, learning to draw people and animals as part of a group of young artists called the Tam O’ Shanters, a prestigious series of Saturday art classes. He had an amazing gift that was a source of happiness and purpose throughout his life.

In 1944, he enlisted in the Navy, serving his country towards the end of WWII. Upon his return to Pittsburgh, he found work as an artist at Gimbels Department Store and then the Pittsburgh Press, where he illustrated news stories and advertisements. He also hand drew fonts and was famous in the industry for his hand-lettered mastheads. At the insistence of a close friend and colleague, he took a position at the St. Petersburg Times in 1962 as a news artist. It was there in 1968 that he met wife, Diane, another artist from the graphic department. They married and settled down in Pass-a-Grille Beach, growing their family from two to four. During this time, he climbed the ranks to Chief News artist and gained a following over the span of 30 years.

Joe was humble about his successes. When he retired, he brought home a box of memorabilia. It contained a small postcard announcing his nomination for a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1974 for an editorial cartoon depicting Nixon as an eagle, with talons clutching the missing Watergate audiotapes. When he was questioned why he never mentioned this over the years, even to his family, he shrugged and said, “Well…I didn’t win”.

After retiring in 1993, he could often be found painting in his home studio while listening to Frank Sinatra. At the age of 78, he took on the project of restoring the family home, acting as his own general contractor. He was the first to show up on the job site and last to leave, leaving no detail undone. Joe was a great cook, especially his smoked Thanksgiving turkey, which he thoughtfully prepared and tended to for two days each year, only handing down his secret recipe to a small group of lucky recipients. The number of guests at the Tonelli home for Thanksgiving grew annually thanks to Joe’s famously delicious turkey. Joe also loved to travel and was excited to take his family to Italy, visiting his relatives in the Adriatic coastal town of Fano. He was bilingual, with Italian being his first language.

Joe simply created joy wherever he went and whatever he did. Cigars and Grappa became a celebration at the end of a good Italian meal. If he was invited to a wedding, he would compose a song for the couple and sing it at the reception, often while wearing a red clown nose, but careful to never take over the scene too long with his ditty. Joe made our lives fun, even when he was mortifying his young daughters by dropping them off at school singing opera songs to an audience of students and teachers in the carpool line. Life was never dull or usual with Joe. There are many similar stories of how he touched so many people and they are too countless to list here. He was and IS a blessing to all who knew him.

Joe leaves behind his loving wife of 55 years, Diane; two daughters, Maria Tonelli Smith (Todd) and Vanessa Tonelli Slade (Marty); sister, Wilma Quinlan; in-laws Roger and Elaine Smith, Chip and Kathy Stewart, and Tim and Jane Stewart; two grandchildren, Tiffany and Xander; and many nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by his best furry friend, Shorty, and his noisy parrot, Banjo. Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Ida Bracci Tonelli; sister, Nancy; brother, Richie; parents-in-law, Howard and Lucille Stewart.

Services will be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church on September 2nd at 11:30am. Joe donated to a variety of causes, so in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of your choice.