Joseph Michael LaMotta

Joseph “Jake” La Motta, 79, of Chesapeake, VA succumbed to cancer at home surrounded by his family on October 8th, 2016. Joseph is survived by his wife of 42 years, Anita, daughters Kimberly LaMotta Maye (Lewis) and Gigie Retski (Jim), son Antonio LaMotta (Nancy), brother Tony La Motta (Shirley), sister, Mary McCormack (Robert), grandchildren Tyler,Tara, Rachel and Matthew and great grandchild, Neveah Tejchman.
Joseph was a loving father, husband, grandfather and friend to all. Joseph, Ret. US Navy, is a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he earned several commendations. His parents, Sebastiano and Mary LaMotta, from Bronte, a small town in Catania, Sicily immigrated to the United States and made Scranton, Pennsylvania their home, which is where Jake was born and raised. He joined the Navy at the age of 18, and served 22 years of active duty before retiring in 1979 to begin a Civil Service career spanning over 25 years. His career moved the family to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where they lived for over 18 years. In 1995, Joseph and Anita moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where they became involved in many community events, and loved to entertain friends in their home. Joseph retired from civil service in 2005, moving to Chesapeake, Virginia, to be closer to family. Joseph was very proud of his Italian heritage, and was an avid reader, writer, and hobby musician. Joseph truly enjoyed singing, and shared his love of music, especially the classics, with everyone. He never missed Sunday night football, and closely followed the sport of boxing. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Kindred Hospice for their loving care and support.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday October 15, at 2pm at Altmeyer Funeral Home 929 Battlefield Blvd Chesapeake, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org/donate) or Disabled American Veterans (www.dav.org). Condolences may be expressed to the family below.