Joseph Stephen "Joe" Gioffre, 79 of Lusby, MD formerly of Largo, MD passed away on March 7, 2011 at Washington Hospital Center. He was born on March 31, 1931 in Largo, MD to the late Fortunato Giuffre and Maria Brigantee.

He married his loving wife Kathleen Ann Gioffre on June 24, 1967 at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Seat Pleasant, MD.

Joe graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1950 and went on to serve in the Army for two years during the Korean War and was honorably discharged. He moved from Largo, MD in 1972 to Calvert County, MD where he was a successful businessman. He belonged to the Calvert Elks Lodge #2620 and American Legion Post 274.

Joe is survived by his loving wife of 43 years Kathleen Ann Gioffre of Lusby, MD; two children, Joe Gioffre and his wife Janice of La Plata, MD and Debbie Waxman and her husband Paul of Great Mills, MD; siblings, Anna Malone of Bowie, MD, Connie Benefield of Prince Frederick, MD, Nick Gioffre of Waldorf, MD and Josie Boertlein of Dunkirk, MD, and three grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 13, 2011 from 2 ~ 5 PM in the Rausch Funeral Home, Lusby, MD where a Elks service will be held at 3PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 14, 2011 at 11 AM in Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Solomons, MD with Fr. Gude officiating. Interment will follow in the Chesapeake Highlands Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Port Republic, MD.

The family request contributions to be made in Joe's memory to the Our Lady Star of the Sea School – S.O.F.T., P.O. Box 560, Solomons, MD 20657.

Arrangements provided by Rausch Funeral Home