Photo: Joe Scali from a video created by the Belmont Media Center.
On any election day for the past decade, you would find Joe Scali at the Beech Street Center enjoying the day with his wife, Maryann, as both were officiating at the polls. Whether it was early in the morning or just before the close, Scali would be there to keep company with voters and friends, always with a remembrance of his life living in Belmont and with Maryann.
It will be that less enjoyable entering the polling station in the future.
Joseph A. Scali, a lifelong resident who was involved in town government and youth sports, died on Thursday. He was 85. The cause was not given.
Born in Belmont on July 16, 1933, Scali graduated from Belmont High School in 1950 then enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951, serving in the Korean War. You can watch Scali describe is service to the country on video from the Belmont Media Center.
After returning from his tour of duty in 1955, Scali began his career working in the missile systems division of Raytheon, employed at the defense contractor for 38 years. Shortly after graduating from Boston College in 1960, Scali married Belmont resident Maryann Cogliani. The Scalis raised their three children on Prospect Street since 1965.
Scali was a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 2 since 1996. He demonstrated his interest in supporting vocational education for Belmont students with his involvement with the Minuteman Regional Vocational High School as Belmont’s appointed member to the Minuteman School Committee from 2007 to 2010 and being on the Minuteman Study Committee from 2009 to 2013.
Scali coached youth basketball, hockey and baseball and was a founder in the mid-1970s of Boston Area Youth Soccer. He was also the treasurer of the Belmont Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Maryann (Cogliani), his children Maryann (and Bruce McCauley) of Westboro, Joseph (and Lisa) of Burlington and Richard (and Tammy) of Sandown, NH; nine grandchildren, Anthony, Kristyn (and husband Peter), Nicholas, David, Mark, Joseph, Sydney, Rebecca, Katie and great-granddaughter Adriana.
Visiting Hours will be held at St. Camillus Church, 1185 Concord Turnpike (Rt .2), Arlington on Thursday, Feb. 7 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 8 at St. Camillus Church at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Highland Meadow Cemetery on Concord Avenue in Belmont.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Benefits Program, Emerson Health Care Foundation, 133 O.R.N.A.C, Concord, MA 01742 or Friends of COA, 266 Beech St., Belmont, MA 02478.