Joseph Torcivia

Joseph Peter Torcivia Jr. was born to eternal life on September 10, 2026, at the age of 52, following a courageous 14-year battle with brain cancer.

Joe was a one-of-a-kind person who lived life with a determination and energy that could not be slowed down. From the time he was a child, Joe always needed to be busy. That never changed as he grew older. He was an extremely hard worker and held a variety of jobs throughout his life. No matter what he was doing, Joe liked to stay active, keep busy, and have something to accomplish.

At the center of Joe's life was his love of Jesus and his faith. His relationship with God was an important part of who he was, and he was blessed to share his love of music and his faith by playing guitar during services at Auxano Church.

Of course, there were a few other things that were absolutely essential to Joe's happiness:

Music. Joe loved music and especially loved going to concerts. He enjoyed many different types of music, but there was no question that Metallica was his favorite. Metallica is scheduled to play at Camp Randall in June of 2027, reportedly as part of a farewell tour. We know that if Joe were still here, there is no doubt he would be there, rocking out and enjoying every minute. Joe loved playing guitar, especially when he could use his talent to serve at church. His guitar brought together two of the things he loved most—music and his faith.

Pizza and ice cream. We're not entirely sure which one would have ranked higher, but perhaps that doesn't really matter. Joe would have happily eaten either one, anytime, any day, anywhere.

Halloween. Joe loved everything about Halloween. He loved the costumes, the decorations, the scary movies, and, most of all, having the opportunity to scare Trey and Lexi at their Halloween parties. Making people jump was definitely part of the fun for Joe.

Church festivals. Joe absolutely loved church festivals. The food, the people, the atmosphere—he enjoyed it all.Joe's life was also made richer by the people who loved him and stood beside him throughout his journey.

He will be deeply missed by his loving parents, Joseph and Mary Jo (Boyce) Torcivia; his sister, Angela (Steven) Long; his brothers, James (Monica) Torcivia and Michael Torcivia; aunts and uncles, JoAnne (Richard) Strauss, Mary Torcivia, and Tom Pokrandt; and many nieces and nephews.

He will also be lovingly remembered by Maggie, Sarah, Marc, Brian, and the Greggs, along with many other friends. Meagan, his closest, longtime friend, and Alonzo, who became like a big brother to Joe, both there for Joe until the very end. Maggie and Joe bonded through some pretty serious health issues; even shared a hospital stay, and remained longtime  friends. Joe met Sarah, Marc and Brian at church, they became friends outside of church and helped guide him through his journey. Gregg T and Gregg remained his good friends from high school, Joe was blessed with friendships that went far beyond ordinary friendship. 

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff and caregivers at LindenGrove New Berlin, especially Lois and Lisa, for the love, care, and kindness they showed Joe during his final days. You made those days the best they could be, and most importantly, you made him smile. For that, his family will be forever grateful.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Auxano Church, 14625 W. Watertown Plank Road, Elm Grove, with a visitation starting at 10:00 AM followed by a service at 11:00 AM.