Joseph (Joe) Callipari

On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Joseph Callipari, age 90, of London, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at the McCormick Home in London. Born on February 24, 1936 in Natile, Calabria, Italy, Joe was the beloved son of Soccorsa Strangio and Gaetano Callipari. Joe grew up in Natile and attended seminary school in Bergamo, Italy, until moving to Canada at the age of 14.

Joe was a devoted husband of 65 years to Lauraine Callipari (née Ferris) and beloved father to Joseph Guy (Dyann), Gina (Doug) and Michelle (Paul). He was extremely proud of his grandchildren Cameron, Alex, Olivia, Brayden, Austin, Emily and Ashley, and his great grandchildren Gracelyn, Charlotte, Brinley, Adeline, and Brooks.  Joe is survived by siblings Dominic, Mary, Tony, Fran and Frank.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Assunta.

Joe worked in real estate for almost 50 years and received many accolades and awards during that time, including a longevity award with the London Ontario Real Estate Board. His love of travel would also have him partner in a travel agency, Paradise Travel, for many years. His commitment and loyalty to those he served was always his priority.

Outside of work, Joe enjoyed travelling with friends and family to all destinations, but had a soft spot for Italy, to which he would return to visit many times over the years. He was also an avid soccer player and enthusiast. He played soccer for many years in the London area, and was also involved in administration with such clubs as Juventus, Roma FC, and London Marconi. He would have stints with the pro team in Hamilton and was a regular with the London All-Stars. He was inducted into the WOSA Hall of Fame in 2014 for his work and play in the Western Ontario Region. Joe’s passion was attending many World Cup Soccer Tournaments around the globe, including in the USA, Italy, France, and Germany, and was a true fan of Juventus Soccer club in Turin, Italy.

Joe will be remembered for his love and support of his family, and his willingness to help those in need. His favourite thing to do was “pop in” to someone’s house at any time of the day “for a coffee”.  He was well-respected in his community and always found time to enrich the lives of others while providing his time and expertise.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 31, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Westview Funeral Home, 709 Wonderland Road North, London.  A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Parish, 777 Valetta Street, London. A reception with refreshments will immediately follow the mass in the church hall.

For those unable to attend, there will be a livestream from Holy Family Parish.  The link is https://youtu.be/EtCcE0IQ7aM.

In honor of Joe’s memory, donations to the McCormick Home Foundation are appreciated in place of flowers.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved him. Rest In Peace.