Joseph W. Iacovelli, born on December 2, 1948, in Ithaca, NY, passed away peacefully at home in Cortland NY on July 3, 2026, following a brief illness. He was 77 years old. 

Above all, Joe cherished his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Jutta Iacovelli, whose love and partnership were the foundation of their life together. He is also survived by his sister Mary Ann Iacovelli, nieces and nephew, Anne-Marie Pett (Donald), Mary Wirtz (David) and Gabriel Iacovelli, and his great-nieces and nephews Travis Pett (Amanda), Lindsay Pett Matsuda (Alistair), Melanie Wirtz, Matthew Wirtz, and Stella Iacovelli.

Joe was preceded in death by his loving parents, Joseph and Anastasia Iacovelli, and his beloved sister, Annette Robbins.

He was a proud member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 81 and devoted nearly 30 years of his life to providing heating and plumbing services to the Cornell campus. He took great pride in his work and the lasting contributions he made, earning the respect of his coworkers and all who knew his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. 

Outside of work, Joe embraced life with curiosity and adventure. Together with his beloved wife, Jutta, he traveled extensively, exploring the world, collecting art, and creating treasured memories along the way. Their travels reflected their shared love of discovering new places and experiences, strengthening the bond they shared throughout their 45 years of marriage.

Joe also had a lifelong passion for food. He found great joy in both cooking and sharing meals with family and friends, always appreciating good food and good conversations. Whether preparing a favorite recipe or discovering new cuisines during his travels, he believed that some of life's greatest moments were shared over a meal.

One of Joe's greatest joys was his love for animals. Over the years, he welcomed numerous pets into his home, each one considered part of the family. His compassion extended beyond his own pets as he spent many years caring for feral cats in his community helping improve the lives of countless animals through his quiet acts of kindness and generosity. He devoted countless hours to trapping and paying to have them spayed or neutered, even accidentally trapping and neutering a neighbor’s cat by accident! Thankfully the neighbor was more grateful than upset.

A celebration of Joe's life will be announced by the family at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the SPCA of Cortland County in Joe's memory, honoring his lifelong love of animals and his commitment to their care and well-being.

Joe will be remembered for his kindness, dedication, quiet strength, adventurous spirit, generosity, and unwavering love for his family, friends, and animals. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.