Joseph V. Martino, age 83 of Kankakee passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee. 

Visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Homes, Bourbonnais. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 23, 2024, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bradley. Burial will follow at Kankakee Memorial Gardens, Kankakee.

Joe was born on March 26, 1941 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Kankakee and adopted by Sam and Philippine Martino of Kankakee. He lived his life in Kankakee. He attended Catholic schools and graduated from St. Patrick High School, Kankakee. Joe played basketball through high school and earned a scholarship to play basketball at Western Illinois University, Macomb. He graduated from college with a degree in education and started his career teaching 7th and 8th grade.

In 1964 Joe met and married Lynne Patterson at St. Patrick’s Church, Kankakee. They shared 60 years of marriage. Joe returned to the Kankakee area and began working for Armour Pharmaceuticals now known at CSL Behring.

Surviving are two children, Vincent Paul (Jeanette) Martino and Kristina R. (Daniel)Knowles; one grandchild, Darian DeYoung; one nephew, Michael Patterson; one great niece Cori Lou Patterson and one great nephew Ethan Patterson; and one brother-in-law, Wayne Patterson who became a wonderful caregiver during Joe’s long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, CLL, and leukemia. Joe is preceded in death by his parents; one sister-in-law, Nancy Patterson. 

Joe loved people. You can tell from the jobs he held. He was a teacher, chemist, car salesman, and owner of Kennedy Drive Inc. Joe retired from Lawson Products. He was an avid fan of sports, particularly the Green Bay Packers, Chicago White Sox, and the Chicago Blackhawks. He was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus and Kankakee Lions Club.

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or Boystown.

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