Joseph "Jobey" Spatafore, Jr.

Joseph “Jobey” Spatafore, Jr, 98 of Clarksburg passed away peacefully on Monday, May 18 at home. He was born on December 16, 1927 in Clarksburg, WV, son of the late Joseph Spatafore, Sr and Rosa Devono Spatafore who were Italian immigrants from San Giovanni in Fiore, Calabria, Italy.  He was married for 74 years to the late Josephine “Jay” (Vallelonga) Spatafore. He is survived by three children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. His children are Lenora Boyle and her husband, Jay, of Fairfield, Iowa; Dickie Spatafore and his wife, Jeanette, of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Michael Spatafore of Clarksburg, West Virginia. 

His grandchildren are: Grace (Boyle) Knapp and her husband, Colin; David Boyle; Cassie (Spatafore) Yates and her husband, Vinnie; Luke Spatafore and his wife, Donna; Tu Spatafore and Tatiana Agudelo; and Mick Nice and his wife, Charity.

His great grandchildren are: Charlie and Miles Knapp, Alyssa Knight, Eli and Caleb Spatafore, Cierra and Tony Yates, and Angelo Spatafore.

Jobey graduated from Victory High School, Class of 1945. His first job at the age of 14 was setting up pins at the bowling alley in the basement of the Gore Hotel. Then his lifetime career was working for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and Chessie System.  As a Union Rep for the railroad, he would take the family with him to national conventions in different cities each summer. 

He was a lifelong member of St. James Catholic Church, where he served as an Altar Server until the age of 93. He was active in the men’s organization and supported St. James School and its athletic programs. For many years on Christmas Eve, he would place baby Jesus in the manger at church. He was chairman of the yearly parish spaghetti dinners, and member of the parish finance council and parish council.

He spent his free time gardening, spending weekends at his cabin on the Buckhannon River, coaching Little League, and was an active member and trustee of the Knights of Columbus. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he received awards for Husband of the year, and Family of the Year.  He was elected multiple times as the Democratic Committeeman for the North Urban District of Harrison County, and many neighbors considered him the unofficial mayor of North View. Spatafore Way, the paved alley behind his house, was named in his honor.

He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II and reached the rank of first sergeant in the Army Reserves. 

He never missed a day of the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festivals since its inception in 1979, and the Festival honored him as Father of the Year in 2023.

He was the longest serving member of the Clarksburg Sanitary Board retiring at the age of 93 after nearly fifty years of service.

He is also survived by his sister, Genevieve (Spatafore) Linville, and many beloved nieces, nephews, sister-in-law, and brothers-in-law.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by six siblings: Frank Spatafore, Anna Oliverio, Mary Marra, Sam Spatafore, Louise Ventura, and John Paul Spatafore.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Kristopher Creel who has been Jobey’s full time loving caregiver for the past 2 years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to St. James Catholic Church Youth Group, 2107 Pride Avenue, Clarksburg, WV 26301.

Family will receive friends at Davis Funeral Home, 124 Olen Thomas Dr., Clarksburg, on Friday, May, 22, 2026 from 12:00 – 8:00pm, where a Vigil Service will be held at 7:30 pm; Catholic Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. James Catholic Church on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 10:00 am with Father Akila Rodrigo and Father Stephen Vallelonga as co-celebrants. Interment will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Online condolences can be made at www.DavisFuneralHomeWV.com. Davis Funeral Home is honored to serve the Spatafore family.

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