Joseph J. Czarnecki

Joseph J. Czarnecki, 82, of West Springfield, passed away on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

Joe was born on August 16, 1943, in Pittsburgh, to the late Joseph and Mary (Gerloch) Czarnecki.

He attended Carlynton High School in Carnegie, PA, graduating in 1961. Following graduation, Joe answered the call of duty by enlisting in the United States Air Force, where he worked as an aviation mechanic on C-130 airplanes. He was honorably discharged in 1967, earning the National Defense Service Medal and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal. Upon his discharge, Joe returned home to Pittsburgh and began working for the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier. He remained a postman for over 35 years until his retirement.

Joe was an avid fisherman and loved traveling to Erie to fish and camp. He would regularly stop at the West Springfield VFW Post #4965, where he met his future wife’s parents, who introduced the two together. He later moved to West Springfield and worked at Bob Ferrando Ford as a driver for 22 years.

Joe was known for his ability to do just about anything. He was a master locksmith, an extremely talented carpenter, and enjoyed making bird feeders and wooden eagles for his wife. He also loved working with stained glass, creating numerous pieces for his home and incorporating stained glass into his birdhouses.  Joe was also affectionately known as "The Soup King" amongst family and friends, creating recipes that surpassed the best trained chefs and nourished the heart and soul of his family.

Joe was a people person who loved being around others. Those who had the opportunity to know him knew he would do anything for anyone. He and his wife also served as campground hosts at Dewdrop Campground at Kinzua, but his true passion in life was spending time with his beloved grandchildren.

Before moving to West Springfield, Joe held numerous memberships in Pittsburgh; most notably, he was a lifetime member of Carnegie VFW Post #331 and an active member of Carnegie American Legion Post #0082. Joe also enjoyed spending time with friends at the Springboro Fire Hall Lounge.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Czarnecki.

Joe is survived by his loving family, including his wife of 17 years, Theresa (Fails) Czarnecki; his step-sons, Luke Weldon (Julie) and his children, Bradley, Beth, and Ben Weldon, and Jeff Weldon and his daughter, Tylee Weldon; his sister-in-law, Patty Schatz; his brother-in-law, Bill Fails (Francine); his cousins, Ron Czarnecki and Wendy Czarnecki; his dear friend, Roy McGaughey (Sandy); as well as many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s name may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517, or online at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate.

Per Joe’s wishes, services will be held privately.

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