Joseph J. Balboni Jr.

Joseph J. Balboni Jr., age 80 of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on February 9, 2021 from CNS lymphoma. Joe was the loving husband of Mary F. (Cronin) Balboni, and devoted father to Kevin Balboni, Karen Donovan, Lynn McGowan and Kim Richard.

 Born in Malden, Massachusetts, on April 18, 1940, Joe was the son of the late Philomena and Joseph J. Balboni, Sr. Joe was raised in Somerville, MA where his lifelong passion for honest work and community service was instilled in him by his extended Italian family. At the age of 15, he started his first business, operating a horse drawn wagon selling vegetables throughout the neighborhoods of Somerville. Joe attended Somerville Trade School and graduated in 1959. Joe and Mary married in 1961, settled in Billerica, MA to raise their family and later to Hollis, NH. 

 Joe began his career as a pressman for the T.O. Metcalf Printing Company. Learning and growing in the printing industry for many years, he went on to purchase his own printing company, Northeast Offset, Inc (NEO), in Chelmsford, MA.  Having learned the business from the ground up, Joe set high standards for himself and all those who worked for him.  He cultivated a loyal customer base and his employees became an extension of his family.  Joe cared deeply about people and was always willing to help those in need. 

 After 35 years in the printing business. Joe "retired" to Wolfeboro NH, where it wasn't long before he started another successful business, All Earth, an excavation company.  Joe truly enjoyed 'moving dirt', often working six days a week driving his brightly colored trucks; a fitting match to his irrepressible personality. Joe was regularly seen driving around town in his bright yellow International pick-up truck, always with a cigar, ready to greet friends or unsuspecting tourists with a honk of the horn.  Joe and his trucks were a staple in Wolfeboro's annual Fourth of July parade. Joe also enjoyed boating on Lake Winnipesaukee with his wife, children and grandchildren. 

 As a way to stay involved in the Wolfeboro community, he was elected as a Wolfeboro Police Commissioner for 3 consecutive terms. Joe was also a generous supporter of the Wolfeboro Food Pantry and the Wolfeboro Children's Christmas Fund. To escape the cold New England weather, Joe and Mary spent the winter months at their residence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they enjoyed a community of friends. Joe made dozens of friends, including his "Italian buddies" from Toronto with whom he loved to play cards, sip grappa and shared lots of laughs. Joe also loved to play golf, especially at Kingswood Golf Club in Wolfeboro and Deer Creek Golf Club in Deerfield Beach, Florida. 

 Staying active and involved in his community was extremely important to Joe. A few of his previous involvements include: President of Billerica Rotary, President  & Treasurer of the National Association of Litho Clubs (NALC), Board Member of the Genesis Fund, Board of Directors Member of Special Olympics Massachusetts, volunteer fireman and President of the Hollis NH Fire Department.  Joe was also a devoted communicant at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton, NH.

 Joe is survived by his wife, Mary F. Balboni of Wolfeboro; his son Kevin Balboni, his wife Maria of Carlisle, MA; his daughters Karen Donovan of Milford, NH, Lynn McGowan, her husband Kevin McGowan of Nashua, NH, Kim Richard and her husband Tim Richard of Nashua, NH. Joe is also survived by his eight grandchildren; Ryan McGowan, Vanessa Wickens, Kevin McGowan Jr., Michaela McGowan, Andrew Balboni, Emily Richard, Celeste Balboni, Jack Donovan; and his great grandson Julian Wickens. 

 Also survived by his siblings, Lorraine Screnci, Barbara Pagliuca, Lauretta Raffi, Richard Balboni and Donna Ciampo and many nieces and nephews.

Because of the current restrictions, Joe's visitation will be private. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 11am at Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church, 40 Hidden Springs Road, Alton, NH, 03809. For those unable to travel and attend in person, the mass will be live streamed at www.stkdrexel.org.

An outdoor celebration of life in Joe’s honor will be held outdoors later this year. Funeral arrangements are with lordfuneralhome.com.

 In lieu of flowers, at the family’s request donations may be made in Joe's memory to the following charities: Wolfeboro Police Benevolent Association, Wolfeboro Children's Christmas Fund, or the Wolfeboro Food Pantry.

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