Joseph Frederick Sastre

Joseph F. Sastre, 86, of Milford, beloved husband of the late Rosemarie Sastre, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2020. Born on September 23, 1933 in Bridgeport, he was the son of the late Jose and Amanda Sastre.  

Joe was born and grew up in Bridgeport CT and fondly recalled, many, many, many times how he, his cousin and his friends spent much of their summers diving off the rocks into Long Island Sound along Saint Mary’s, Black Rock and Bridgeport Harbors.  After graduating from high school, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and spend part of his enlistment serving at the Air Base on the Island Guam.  His last duty station was O’Hare Airport in Chicago, were he met, dated and fell in love with Rosemarie. 

Upon his release from the Air Force, Joe and Rose began their lives together and started their family in Des Plains, Ill.  As the number of children grew from one to three, the family moved to Park Ridge, Ill while Joe learned the craft of a printer for a large company in Chicago.

Deciding to return to his home state, the family moved back to Connecticut in 1967 first in Fairfield then finally to Milford where they found their place in Woodmont.  Joe enjoyed living close to Long Island Sound and he found his favorite place, on the groin at the base of Wall St along Beach Ave fishing and discussing a variety of world and Woodmont problems when the fish were not biting with the rest of his fishing buddies.  Apparently, some of his buddies convinced him to run for Borough of Woodmont’s Board of Burgesses where he served for many, many years.

Prior to his retirement, Joe worked for many years for the Milford Board of Education first as a custodian at several schools then manager responsible for all custodial services for all of Milford’s Public Schools.

Joe and Rose chose to remain in the place they loved in Woodmont for the rest of their lives while watching their three children grow, leave the nest, begin families of their own and return to the nest in Woodmont with their children and later their grand and great grandchildren.

Joe lost Rose suddenly in 2013 and while devasted, he did very well by himself.  As age and a variety of ailments began to take their toll, he was determined to remain in the home Rose and he had loved together for the rest of his days.  With the help of his children and some dedicated home health aides he was able to do so and is now back with Rose and all his relatives and friends who had left before him.

Joe is survived by his children, Joseph (Vicki) Sastre, Rick (Charlene) Sastre, and Karen (Mike) Donovan; his grandchildren, Leigh-Anne (Stan) Bush, Joe (Anna) Sastre, Jr., Alison (John) Dockins, Katelynn (Steve) Jagodzinski, Erica Sastre, Richard Sastre, Jr., Erin (Mark) Knorr, Brian Donovan, and Lynn Donovan; and by his nine great grandchildren.  

All services will be private. 

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