Joseph Cesari Obituary

Joseph G. Cesari Sr., 84, passed away peacefully with his sons by his side at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 7, 2025. Born February 22, 1941, in Ashland, PA, Joe grew up as one of four children of the late Russell Sam Cesari and Josephine Theresa (Feudale) Cesari in Kulpmont, PA. He attended Kulpmont High School in Kulpmont, PA, where, in 1954, he met his high school sweetheart and future wife Sandra Jean (Rogers) Cesari. Sandy would watch from her house for Joe to come around on the coal truck to deliver coal and pick up their trash. Little did she know that she was watching her future husband of 63 years through her window.
Joe was an outstanding football player for Kulpmont High School, graduating in 1958, and earning a football scholarship to the University of Buffalo (UB). He was a 4-year starter at linebacker. He graduated from UB in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He earned his master's degree and Superintendent certification, while working as a teacher, administrator, and coach at North Schuylkill High School.

Joe began his coaching career at Cuba Central High School in Cuba, NY, as head coach of the wrestling, football, and track teams from 1962 to 1964. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1964 and coached football and wrestling at Ashland Area High School, which merged into the North Schuylkill School District (NS) in 1966.

Coach Cesari's wrestling coaching career spanned 27 years, from 1962 to 1989. During that time, his teams compiled an overall record of 357-31-2 for a 92% winning percentage, one of the best-ever in Pennsylvania high school wrestling. Amazingly, Joe never wrestled in high school or college.

During his coaching career at North Schuylkill High School (NS), Cesari's teams won 19 League Championships, 8 District 11 Team Championships, and 5 Regional Team Championships. His teams won two Pennsylvania State Team Championships in 1983 and 1989 and earned two runner-up finishes in 1986 and 1988. In 1983, Cesari's state championship team finished the season with a 27-0 record, a state record at the time. Coach Cesari and the North Schuylkill Wrestling community were featured in Sports Illustrated in 1989. He coached 10 individual state champions, 6 of which were won by his 3 sons.

Coach Cesari was a National High School Coach of the Year honoree, the Pennsylvania State Coach of the Year 4 times, and District 11 Coach of the Year 8 times. He was inducted into the Schuylkill County Hall of Fame, District 11 Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, and National High School Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Cesari was also honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award Recipient.

Joe was passionate about giving back to the sports he loved, wrestling and football, and enjoyed officiating football and wrestling at all levels from youth to college since 1973. He was enjoying his 52nd year "on the whistle" and was refereeing a high school football game the week before his trip to Las Vegas.

After retiring from coaching and serving as an administrator at North Schuylkill and Williams Valley High Schools, Joe dedicated his time to the Church of the Holy Angels, multiple community charities, including the Kulpmont Cruise Association, and running his Cesari Tours business. He led efforts to raise money for school and community programs and organized vacations for people from Kulpmont and the surrounding area to places like Alaska, Aruba, New England states, Bermuda, Atlantic City, and his favorite place, Las Vegas.

He is survived by his loving wife Sandra Jean (Rogers) Cesari, Kulpmont, PA. He is lovingly remembered by his brother Russell Cesari (Jo Ann), Annapolis, MD, sister Donna Rompallo (Larry), Kulpmont, PA, and his 4 children; Lisa Cesari, Kulpmont, PA, Joseph Cesari Jr. (Maureen), Raleigh, NC, Steven Cesari (Brandie), Ocean City, NJ, and Mark Cesari (Kristen), Pottsville, PA. He is also survived by his beloved 11 grandchildren; Sean, Nicole, Matthew, Natalia, Olivia, Robert, Lauren, Alexa, Ava, Cole and Preston; great-grandson Asher Lumley; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Joe is predeceased by his brother Carmen Cesari (Donna).

Joe was a gifted and dedicated educator, coach, and community leader who was always looking for ways to take care of people and leave a place better than he found it. To honor his life of dedication, love and service, we ask you to seek out ways to make things better than you found them. That's what Joe would wish for you.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, with Father Andrew Stahmer officiating at the Church of the Holy Angels, 855 Scott St., Kulpmont, PA 17834, with interment service immediately following at St. Mary's Cemetery, Brennan's Farm Road, Kulpmont, PA 17834. Family and friends are respectfully invited to share in a celebration and tribute of Joe Sr.'s life from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at the Cesari-Hope Gymnasium at North Schuylkill High School, 15 Academy Lane, Ashland, PA 17921. Joe would want you to be comfortable as we celebrate him, so we are inviting anyone attending the celebration at NS to wear your team/band/school activity polo shirt or jacket, warmup tops, your favorite officiating jacket, Kulpmont Cruise shirt, or other respectful, comfortable clothing to honor Joe. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the following organizations in memory of Joe, and to continue his work of caring for people of all ages: Spartan Wrestling Boosters, PO Box 72, Gordon, PA 17936 or Venmo to: @NSWrestling, Kulpmont Football and Baseball Association (KFBA), Attn: Greg Berezovske KFBA; 454 East Columbia Ave.; Mt. Carmel, PA 17851 or Venmo to: @kfbasports_2023, Church of the Holy Angels, 855 Scott Street; Kulpmont, PA 17834-1811, or Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (Formerly Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (Formerly JDRF)–Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (Formerly JDRF)) This organization is very near and dear to Joe's heart because one of his grandchildren battles Type 1 diabetes, PO Box 5042, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5042 or Donate Here Arrangements are entrusted to C J Lucas Funeral Home Inc., 1053 Chestnut St., Kulpmont, PA 17834. To send condolences to the family please visit www.cjlucasfuneralhome.com

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