Joseph Esposito

The man. The myth. The legend. Joseph Carl Esposito, 39, of Poland, Ohio, passed away on April 2, 2024. 

Joseph is survived by his father, Frank Esposito of Poland; sisters, Kristina Nicholas of Poland and Jennifer Simon of Park City, Utah; his “entourage” crew, and countless other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his loving mother, Carol Esposito; and the beloved family dog, Red.

Often referred to as “The Mayor of Poland”, Joseph was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He graduated from Poland Seminary High School in 2003 and went on to Youngstown State University graduating with a degree in Marketing. He immediately began working for the Donald P. Pipino Company which was acquired by Brown & Brown, Inc. in 2019. Joseph was very dedicated to his position as a Safety & Loss Control/Data Analyst.

Joseph, at a young age, developed a passion for anything sports related. He would often rattle off stats for an athlete, game, or team like most kids recite nursery rhymes. This keen instinct never diminished and allowed Joseph to occasionally sit with Ed Muransky and Bob Hannon during Penguin Sports Radio football broadcasts. He cherished the friendships this opportunity provided. For many years, Joseph, as a proud alumni, was a statistician for Poland High School Boys Basketball.

A few of Joseph’s favorite things were Seinfeld, OSU football, watching The Amazing Race and MTV’s The Challenge, playing the slots and roulette at Mountaineer Casino, OAR concerts, Cleveland Cavaliers, crab legs, Savannah Chrisley, scratch-off lottery tickets, March Madness, pizza, The Price is Right, traveling to Vegas, Dave Portnoy (“one bite, everyone knows the rules”), and chicken wings.

There isn’t enough space here to list all the friends from Joe’s life. He adored his friends and they adored him. When they were asked to describe Joseph in one word, responses included: competitive, selfless, lifesaver, particular, king (of useless trivia knowledge), sincere, reliable, intelligent, guardian, passionate, J-Baby, sweetheart, trustworthy, dependable, smart, protective, supportive, loving, hilarious, compassionate, and loyal.

Above all, Joseph was extraordinary at taking care of everyone, he was a natural protector. His infectious laugh, quick wit, and big heart will be greatly missed by many.

Calling hours will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 12, 2024, at Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Poland Chapel. Saturday, April 13, 2024 there will be a calling hour from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m., also at Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Poland Schools in care of the Joseph Esposito Memorial Fund, 3030 Dobbins Road, Poland, Ohio 44514.