Joseph Eugene Alsippi

“Super Joe”, Joe Alsippi, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, trap shooter, drag racer, mechanic, businessman, inventor, postal worker, Army Specialist, and musician passed away on Sunday June 30, 2024, at Saint Andrew’s Village in Indiana PA at the age of 90.  Born January 17, 1934 to Joseph Paul Alsippi and Mary Louise Zerbini Alsippi in their home on Hick’s Hill, near the Kiskiminetas River, Armstong County. Joe grew up on a mini, self-sustaining farm with a well and outhouse during the Depression. He attended a one-room schoolhouse in Maysville till the sixth grade, then began his walks to Avonmore School where he met the love of his life, Agnes Shacikoski. In 1950, at the age of 16, Joe and brother Paul, helped his dad build their new ultra-modern (for the time) stone house on Allegheny Avenue in Avonmore. His brother Rich was along for the ride at age four and two years later, his only sister, Mary Jean, arrived.

Graduating from Bell-Avon High School in 1951, Joe played baseball and lettered in football with the B-A team going undefeated and becoming county champs that year. He loved the saxophone and made the “All County Band” while he later taught himself the guitar, harmonica and accordion. Senior year, he and Aggie were selected as those with the “nicest personalities”.  His senior “will” bequeaths his ability to “drive a car at 90mph in second gear, stop on a dime and get nine cents change”.

After high school, Joe had various area jobs, but always had a mechanical niche, especially on any Chrysler/MOPAR that came his way. In 1956 he volunteered for the US Army draft doing his basic training at Ft Jackson, SC, with his brother Paul. Afterward, he was sent west to Ft Lewis, WA, while Paul was sent east to Germany. Joe reached the rank of Specialist 4, of course specializing in vehicle maintenance.

While Joe loved the Army, he loved Aggie more, so returned to Avonmore in1958. He and Aggie 1were married in September and this love went on for nearly 66 years. In1959 he, his dad, and brother Paul built a huge block building on the corner of Route 156 and 981. Thus, Alsippi Automotive was born.  Although Aggie worked as an RN, she was always the garage bookkeeper. Amongst those efforts, they welcomed daughter Lisa and son David to the mix.  Needing more room, they migrated back to Aggie’s childhood home on Cambia Avenue just after daughter Lynette was born.

After Lisa’s birth, Joe realized (and Ag nudged) that he needed extra income. Thus, Joe secured a part time/causal Saturday morning slot at the Avonmore Post Office also covering the mail route any time needed. Because of his performance and mechanical abilities, Joe was sent to a Postal training school in Norman OK to learn the newest sorting machine soon to be installed at the main/county post office in Greensburg. Once back, Joe worked nightshift, training Greensburg postal employees on this new high-tech equipment. He did eventually return to his part-time job in Avonmore but became the on-call maintenance man for this new sorter. Joe retired from the Postal Service in Sep1992 after 29 years an Assistant Postmaster.

As Joe’s mechanical expertise grew, he developed the need for speed. He built his first race car, a class B Altered, sometimes described as a “poor man’s dragster”, and began racing at Pittsburgh International Raceway when it opened in 1964. Three years later (1967), Joe was one of the first guys on the track at Keystone Raceway Park. Eventually, Joe sold his Altered and moved up to a front engine dragster. As he racked up the trophies, so came the nickname “Super Joe” and a new group of friends along with the drag racing/engine-building expertise that they sought. In 2014, Joe was inducted into the inaugural class of the Keystone Raceway Park Hall of Fame with seven of his 60/70s racing companions.  He also redesigned one of Chrysler’s production transmissions and earned an invitation to headquarters in Detroit to discuss his design.

In the 1990’s Joe switched gears to the trapshooting world, putting his inherited skills from his father to the range.  Joe’s remarkable marksmanship came to light quickly as he began an accumulation of trophies and awards from multiple states.  In 2006, 2007, and 2009 he achieved second team All American status for the Senior Veteran Class.  One of his most memorable and remarkable achievements came in 2008, at the Grand American Trap Shoot in Sparta, IL.  The handicap world championships took place on the final day, where Joe managed to break a 97 out of 100 targets from the 27-yard line.  This score yielded him second place in the world championships and the runner up trophy.  As a result of his successes in multiple other shooting events at the Grand, including doubles and singles, he also earned the coveted runner up High All-Around award for Senior Veteran class.

Joe was an incredibly brilliant man who developed/invented/created multiple gadgets and modified various mechanisms, engines and machines. He said he was always driven to be the best in everything and his competitiveness showed it. He loved his family and all extension of and just loved people in general growing friends in everything he did.  He was a member of the Avonmore Moose and the Italian Club.

Joe was preceded in death by his lifelong friend and wife of 65 years, Agnes in January 2024, brother Paul in 2021, brother Rich in 2005, Mother Mary in 2005, Father Joseph in 1993 and brother Eugene in 1932. He is survived by sister Mary Jean Gomberg and her husband Steve and their children Brad and Joel of West Palm Beach Florida, his daughter Lisa Randall of New Derry, PA and her son Collin, St. Louis MO, his son David Alsippi and his wife Debbie and their children Christina and Joey of Indiana PA, and his daughter Lynette Bowser and her husband Ron from Florence, SC. 

Friends will be received on Friday, July 5, 2024 from 10:00am till noon at the Hebron Lutheran Church, 601 Cambria Avenue, Avonmore, PA 15618. A memorial service will follow with Reverend Keith McCutcheon officiating. The service can be seen via Zoom at  https:/us02web.zoom.us/j/7041298066, Meeting Id: 704 129 8066, if link does not work call 253-215-8782 or 301-715-8592 Meeting Id. 704 129 8066 . Interment will follow with military honors at Westview Cemetery in Avonmore, PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hebron Lutheran Church, mailing address, Box 589, Avonmore PA, 15618.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph Eugene Alsippi, please visit our floral store.