Joseph Paul Gurnick, age 81, of Wilmington, NC passed away on Friday, March 1, 2024 peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones.

He was born on May 16, 1942 in Worcester, MA to the late Joseph C. Gurnick and Sophie R. Jakubowicz Gurnick.

Joseph was a retired Captain at Delta Airlines for 27 years. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and an avid sailor. Joseph and his wife, Marie, lived on a sailboat for many years in the Florida Keys. Joe, a dedicated Boston (New England) sports fan, loved scuba diving, exercising, and playing basketball until he was 75 years old. Joseph loved nature, hiking, camping, and animals, especially cats and dogs. Most of all, he loved his family. He was a bright light to many people, and he will be dearly missed.

Joseph is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Marie Calcagni Gurnick; sons, Joseph C. Gurnick (Lisa) and Jonathan F. Gurnick; daughters, JeanMarie Gurnick (Sheldon Campbell) and Jennifer Anderson (Sean); grandchildren, Tirzah Hedman, Zara Campbell, Noah Gurnick, Nathaniel Gurnick, and Markus Anderson; great-grandchild, Genesis Vargas; and many other loving nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Joseph was preceded in death by his sister, June Shields.

This was a quote that Joseph lived by - "I keep six honest serving men, They taught me all I knew; Their names are What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who..." - Rudyard Kipling

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Quinn McGowen Funeral Home – Wilmington

910-794-7171