Joseph J. Dente, Jr.
- Mark Kiesinger
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Joseph J. Dente, Jr., 70, of Moosic, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in Vero Beach, Florida. He was born on November 4, 1955, in Moosic, and was the son of the late Joseph J. Dente, Sr. and Therese (Ruddy) Dente.
Joe was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Church (Queen of The Apostles Parish) Avoca. He attended St. Mary’s Avoca Parochial School, graduated from Scranton Preparatory School, Class of 1973, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton in 1977. He later attended Marywood College, where he received a degree in library science. Joe began his career as a substitute teacher in the Riverside School District and went on to teach in the Scranton School District for more than 25 years before retiring in 2015.
Deeply devoted to his hometown, Joe gave countless years of service to the Moosic community he loved. He served as president of the Moosic Borough Council and was both treasurer and president of the Moosic Little League, while also remaining closely involved with the Moosic Youth Center and the Moosic Borough Planning Commission.
A PIAA-sanctioned referee and umpire for more than 50 years, Joe’s dedication to athletics and fair play earned him induction into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He was also honored as Man of The Year by the Moosic Little League and received a Certificate of Appreciation for Exemplary Service to the Moosic Community. A lifelong sports fan, Joe especially loved cheering for the New York Mets.
Above all, Joe’s life centered around his family. He cherished time spent with his wife, children, and especially his grandchildren. Following his retirement, he and his beloved wife Ellen, enjoyed their winters in Florida, where Joe found great joy in golfing and spending time with friends. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by his sister, Anne Dillion; and brothers Carmen Dente, Sr.; William Dillion, and Kenneth Dillion.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Ellen (Jones) Dente; his children: Joseph Dente III and his wife Lisa of Nazareth, PA; Maria Posluszny and her husband Jason of Moosic; Kenneth Dente and his wife Stephanie of Fort Worth, TX; Jena Sposto and her husband Enrico of Salado, TX; and Angela McClure of Moosic. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Joseph J. Dente IV, Emma Dente, Jason Posluszny, Connor Posluszny, Nicholas Posluszny, Sofia Posluszny, Zachary Dente, Tyler Dente, Enrico Sposto Jr., Vincenzo Sposto, Jaxon McClure, and Jameson McClure, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 10:30am at St. Mary’s Church (Queen of The Apostles Parish), 715 Hawthorne St., Avoca, with Fr. Thomas Petro officiating. Friends may call on Wednesday evening, February 4, 2026, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Kiesinger Funeral Services, Inc., 255 McAlpine St., Duryea. Family and friends are asked to go directly to the church on Thursday morning; there will be no procession from the funeral home. Interment will be held at the West Pittston Cemetery, West Pittston.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Riverside Golf Booster Club, 310 Davis St., Taylor, PA 18517 or Venmo@riverside-golf.
Online condolences may be made to www.kiesingerfuneralservices.com
It was a terrible, devastating shock with the unexpected news of the passing of Joe. How do you summarize 50 years of memories with such a good, kind, and dependable brother-in-law - the rock of the family? I saw this with the love he had for his church, dedication to the community, and love for his wife Ellen, five children, 12 grandchildren, and his four siblings. The last survivor of the siblings, I will miss that chapter of our times together. With that mischievous smile and twinkle in his eye, I couldn't help but laugh in the way he would pause while telling his stories, just like his mom used to do. It was hilarious when his sister Anne would…
Sending over thoughts and prayers to the Dente family. He was always so kind to my family and a big part of the Moosic Community. - Jaclyn & Marymargaret Smith / Hamilton family
My thoughts and prayers are with the Dente family at difficult. Joe was a wonderful friend and an outstanding basketball referee. Rest in peace.
I meet Joe my first year playing for the Old Forge Bank team in the Moosic Little League when I was 8 years old and he was 18. He was the assistant coach to Mr. Quinlan. We won the championship that year! He became our head coach the following year. He was always fair and encouraging to the kids. As I think back on those years I now realize how rare it is to find a 18-20 year old dedicated to youth sports. He was respected by the other coach's who were much older than Joe. My condolence's go out to Ellen and Family. Rest in Peace Joe.
John Saporito
Wow! Where do you begin when looking at a 55-year friendship?
In 7th grade I played basketball for St. Mary’s School in the Junction and we were playing St. Mary’s School of Avoca in the infamous Legion. I was bringing the ball down the sideline, and this kid I never met hip-checked me into the nickel seats. When I got back onto the court, this kid looked at me and said “Hi, I’m Joe Dente from Moosic”. This was the start of a friendship that never quit.
We moved onto high school together where we were certified reprobates at that Jesuit School on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton. Try as they may they never got the better of us. Along with our…