Joseph Theodore Cravatta

Joseph Theodore Cravatta, age 91, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois died Friday, March 16, 2012 in the presence of his loving family in Mt. Carroll. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Savanna. Burial will be in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Savanna. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2012 at the Frank-Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll.
Joe was born in Savanna on November 26th, 1920 the son of John and Pietra (Distafano) Cravatta, of 751 Bowen St., Savanna, IL. He was Baptized on January 15th, 1921 according to the Rite of the Roman Catholic Church at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna, IL by the Rev. F. J. Antl, with Joe's Sponsors being Joseph Orto and Maria Spinoso. Joe had five brothers: Dave, Charles, John, Sam and Mike, one sister Mary Lovinelli, one half-brother Paul Didato and one half-sister Carmella Scroll. Joe attended the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, IL with many honors such as President of the Junior League for the Hard of Hearing in 1942 & 1943, President of the Freshman Class, member of the Young American Literary, Henry Horner Reading Room, Football, Basketball, Track, and Band as well as the Intramural sports of volleyball, basketball, tumbling and swimming. While in school he studied Linotype Printing and he was also involved in the Academic Learning in the Acoustic Department. Joe met Leota Mercedes Noel at the Jacksonville School for the Deaf while in high school and went on to marry her in Springfield, IL on September 20th, 1944. Shortly after their wedding they moved to Savanna and started their family. In 1948, they moved to the family farm known as "Red Barn Curve". Joseph and Leota had 8 children: Patty, Brenda, Nancy, Jonathan, Joe Jr., Tom, Charlene, and Peggy. From those children came, 19 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Joe's career as a Linotype and Press operator for The Mirror Democrat Newspaper of Mt. Carroll, IL, The Savanna Times Journal of Savanna, IL and The Shawver Press of Morrison, IL didn't keep him away from his favorite hobby of being a Master Gardener growing vegetables for his friends and family. Every spring, he would get his left-over seeds and mail order books out and start planning his next garden. One week prior to his departure from us, he said he was going to get better so he could get out and hoe in his garden this summer. He surely loved his gardening. Joe loved life right up to the very end where he was taken from us and placed in Heaven to be with God. He will always be loved and missed by his family and friends but we know he's in good hands now. God Bless you Dad, we love you!