Joe Garrisi – The Heart of Care
“Grab that chair and pull it up right beside me.” That infectious smile that twinkle in his eye, I couldn’t help myself. I placed the chair comfortably right next to Joe Garrisi.
A Purple Heart recipient for his service in WWII, an actor at the Pasadena Playhouse alongside a young Dustin Hoffman, a Restaurateur whose diners became gathering places for Hollywood icons and history-makers alike, friend to President Gerald Ford and first lady Betty Ford, host of Frank Sinatra’s 47th birthday party, and the artist behind more than 3,000 paintings – Joe Garrisi has lived a century packed with remarkable memories and stories that somehow manages to be both larger than life and deeply human.
“Joe, tell me a little about yourself.”
“What can I tell you?” he said with a playful chuckle. “My eyes are going, my ears are going, and I don’t remember like I used to.”
Joe mentioned his memory loss more than once, but in the same breath he filled our time together with vivid detail—especially about the war. When he talked about Monte Cassino in Italy, I
could hear the chaos in his voice and feel the weight of those life-threatening moments he somehow survived. It struck me that even if memory can be slippery, the truths he lived through are still rooted deep inside him. And yes—“storyteller” absolutely belongs on Joe’s resume, because he shared his life beautifully, in a way only Joe can.
Joe is a descendant of Sicily. Like so many families seeking a better life, his parents immigrated to Detroit. When Joe was three, the Garrisi clan moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts. He was the oldest of six children, and has outlived all but one brother, Tony.
In the service, Joe rose quickly, earning the title of Sergeant. His will, determination, and battlefield strategy were recognized in the toughest of circumstances. Monte Cassino was brutal—the casualty rate so high it’s often described as a Pyrrhic victory: a win achieved at such cost it feels like defeat. Joe became a skilled machine-gunner and was responsible for carrying the tripod through battle. As casualties mounted, he kept going despite his own injuries.
One of those injuries came from what he called a “Screaming Mimi.” He said it plainly, like it was yesterday: “I got hit in the face. Then when I turned around, I got hit in the leg.” He was wounded again and again, but what he takes the greatest pride in isn’t the medals—it’s his men. “I didn’t have one person wounded on my squad,” he said. He knew they depended on him, and he didn’t take that responsibility lightly. The title of veteran is one he wears with quiet pride.
After the war, doctors advised Joe to move to California to help his recovery. The dry climate eased his injuries, and he was able to reconnect with family out West.
“And then Mr. Rockstar decided he wanted to be an actor,” Debbie told me with a grin. Debbie, Joe’s great niece, has cared for Joe for the last 12 years, and it’s clear they share something rare: devotion mixed with genuine delight in each other. Joe was happy to talk about the war himself, but when it came to acting, he let Deb take the lead.
She pulled out beautiful 8×10 photos of Joe at the Pasadena Playhouse, including shots of him acting alongside Dustin Hoffman. Drawer after drawer opened like chapters. Joe smiled, filling in the gaps when he felt like it. From the Pasadena Playhouse to the Screen Actors Guild, his life moved from battlefield to stage—another world that required courage, stamina, and a kind of disciplined imagination. Those photos weren’t just souvenirs; they were proof of a man who kept saying yes to life, even after it had tried to take everything from him.
From acting, Joe stepped into the restaurant industry and opened multiple diners in the Palm Springs area. Ordinary life wasn’t in the cards for Joe Garrisi, and neither were ordinary diners. His places became destinations for the “who’s who”—movie stars, performers, politicians, even the Secret Service. He maintained friendships from his earlier chapters and even hosted Frank Sinatra’s 47th birthday. In the photo, Joe beams beside Old Blue Eyes and other members of the Rat Pack, as if the whole thing was less “celebrity legend” and more “a good night among friends.”
Time flew as Joe and Debbie walked me through faces from those years: President Ford and Betty Ford, Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz), actress Julie Bishop, Elaine Stewart, actor William Boyd who played Hopalong Cassidy, Rosemary Clooney—George Clooney’s aunt—John Wayne, and more. “Monsters in the business,” Joe called them.
After retiring from restaurants, Joe took up painting. He started at one local senior center, painting portraits. “He had no formal training,” Debbie said. “And he did an amazing job.” This was the chapter where Joe leaned forward again, taking back the reins of the story. Around him were a few abstract pieces—one in particular encased in light. When it was plugged in, it glowed like stained glass.
“Do you see the faces in there?” he asked.
For a split second I considered fibbing, but I knew this war veteran would see right through me. “I’m sorry, Joe. I don’t see the faces.”
He looked genuinely disappointed, then assured me that they were there. Joe painted for just three years at first, building a collection that earned ribbons and recognition. After a thirty-year hiatus, Debbie convinced him to return to the canvas. As the years passed,
Joe’s hands weren’t what they used to be, so he improvised—forks, sponges, balloons, even crochet hooks became tools of his artistry.
During COVID, Joe painted more than 600 pieces. For his 96th birthday, Debbie threw a celebration worthy of him: an exhibit at Cape Ann Art Haven in Gloucester. “It was phenomenal,” Debbie said. “It was a great birthday,” Joe added. Joe’s work was also featured at the Folly Cove Gallery in Rockport, after a personal invite by gallery owner JP Boudreau. To date, Joe has completed over 3,000 paintings.
From the black-and-white photos of his acting days to the bursts of color around us, Joe relished telling me about his work. “What do you see?” he’d ask pointing to each beloved painting.
Reluctantly, I admitted my lack of art vocabulary.
“Oh, c’mon,” he’d tease. By then, we were old friends. “It’s faces,” he’d say again, delighted with both the mystery and my stubborn inability to spot it.
When I asked what advice he’d give after 100 years of living, his humility showed first. He didn’t rush to pronounce a grand lesson. He carried his wisdom the way he carried his medals: humbly.
Not ready to be done with me yet, Joe insisted I look at another painting. Debbie laughed and admitted that Uncle Joe sees faces everywhere—even in the pattern of a tablecloth at his sister’s house during Sunday dinners.
“Why do you think you see faces?” I asked.
“Because it’s what I want to see,” Joe said, instinctively.
Maybe they’re faces from his past, the people who shaped his chapters. Maybe they’re faces still to come. Maybe they’re the many faces of a life well lived. Either way, there is nothing ordinary about the faces of Joe Garrisi.
Before I left, Joe asked me, “How many people have you talked to like me?”
“Oh, I don’t think there’s anyone quite like you, Joe,” I told him honestly. “I’m not even sure how I’ll write your story.”
And with that perfect mix of wit, and heart, Joe summed up a century in one sentence:
“All you have to do is do your best.”
In closing – the words of his niece—someone who knows him best seem most fitting;
“Joe is unrelenting, tough as nails, and all heart. He stands strong and proud, no matter the difficulties in life. I admire this man, and I am proud to call him my ‘great Unk.’”
Thank you, Joe—for the stories, the hospitality, the history, the inspiration, and the way you showed us how to meet life with courage. As Debbie said, no matter what came your way you “charged the hills of uncertainty.”
“You are truly one of a kind.”
A personal note from the Author – Lisa Viliott – ABC Community and Marketing Liaison:
I hope you found something in it that resonates with you. If you have any questions, thoughts, or would like to chat more about a topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to connect and offer any advice or support I can!
