Joseph J. “Joe” Nemes, Jr., of Plainsboro, NJ, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, October 29, 2021.
Born in Manville, NJ, Joe’s family moved to a farm in Skillman, where he drove the family’s tractor and did a lot of farming as a teenager. He went to Princeton High School where he met his future wife, Della. After graduation in 1944 Joe enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the elite Seabees and attained the rank of Carpenter’s Mate 3rd class in the 147th Naval Construction Battalion, serving on Okinawa.
After his honorable discharge Joe returned home and became a Research Chemist at American Cyanamid. Della graduated in 1947, they were married in 1949, and lived together in Princeton. They built a home together in Bridgewater where they had their three children, Jeffry, Pamela and Wenda. Joe and Della later moved to Hillsborough, NJ.
Joe’s father bought a property on Route 206 near Rocky Hill and started a Philco business. Wanting to help, Joe and his brother, Robert, decided to repair lawn mowers. After having success they added on a big addition and opened a lawn mower business, Joseph J. Nemes & Sons, Inc., in 1955.
Joe enjoyed traveling and bought a pop-up trailer which they traveling around the United States in on vacation. In addition, Joe and Della did a lot of traveling to England, Italy, Switzerland, Africa, Peru, Australia, China, Japan and Canada. Joe had a hobby of photography which led him to join a club in Somerville and develop his own film and pictures.
Joe is survived by his loving wife, Della; his brothers, Robert of Florida and Patrick of Michigan; his son, Jeffry and his wife, Diana; and his daughters, Pamela Willett and Wenda Nemes. Joe’s loving family also includes his grandchildren, Adam Nemes and wife, Amanda, Zachary, Thomas and Joseph Willett; and his great-grandchildren, Andrew and Ashley Nemes.
Visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., with a Memorial Service beginning at 11:30 a.m., at A.S. Cole Son & Company, 22 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ.
Inurnment will follow at Westminster Cemetery in Cranbury NJ.
Cremation services were held privately.
Masks are optional for the services of Joseph J. “Joe” Nemes, Jr.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe’s memory to the Plainsboro Presbyterian Church, 500 Plainsboro Rd., Plainsboro, NJ 08536 or to Alzheimer’s New Jersey, Attn: Development Dept., 425 Eagle Rock Ave. #203, Roseland, NJ 07068 or by visiting www.alznj.org.