Obituaries » Joseph (Joe) Buzad

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Joseph (Joe) Buzad

December 25, 1918 - May 13, 2018

Burial Date May 13, 2018

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Joseph (Joe) Buzad, age 99, a Jackson Heights resident in West Scranton, passed away peacefully on Sunday.
Born in Scranton on Christmas Day, 1918, Joe was the son of the late Khalil and Ghalia Douaihy Buzad. He studied at American University of Beirut before returning to the U.S. and serving in the Army during WWII. He eventually started a 1950’s style diner in the historic “Wholesale Block” on Lackawanna Avenue. In the late 60’s with the help of Scranton’s Redevelopment Authority, he opened “J.B.’s, a ‘Cheers-style’ neighborhood bar on Jackson Street in Scranton’s West Side, catering to a working class, beer drinking and shuffleboard playing clientele. A life-long odds player with serial losses, he cashed in on his biggest wager- he bet on the over. Well liked and respected, he was a friend to everyone, always with a kind word and a pat on the back.
Not one for birthday parties, Joe left us all before hitting a 100, interupting his family’s plans for a centennial birthday party celebration. He will be missed and fondly remembered.
He is survived by his brother, John Buzad of Hanover, Massachusetts; and many loving nieces and nephews.
His siblings, Lilla Saadi, Peter, Paul and Michel Buzad and Jemille Frangie, also preceded Joe in death.
A Divine Liturgy is scheduled for Monday, May 21st, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Maronite Catholic Church, to be celebrated by Monsignor Francis J. Marini, pastor. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery. Those wishing to attend the funeral are asked to go directly to church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joe’s name to Saint Ann Maronite Church, 1320 Price St., Scranton, Pa., 18504.
Arrangements are under the care of the Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 125 North Main Avenue, Scranton. Please visit the funeral home’s website for directions or to leave an online condolence.