Joseph "Joe" Blaise Fusco, 87, of New Wilmington, passed away at UPMC-Horizon in Farrell, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, after living with Parkinson's disease for a number of years.

Joe was born in Pittsburgh on Feb. 3, 1938, to Eugenia (Dalesandro) and Lawrence Fusco. Joe graduated from Wilkinsburg High School in 1955. He then attended Westminster College, receiving a BA in 1960 and ME in 1965. He received his PhD in 1980 from the University of Pittsburgh.

He taught at Wilmington Area High School from 1960-65, moved on to Grove City High School for one year and was then hired by Coach Harold Burry at Westminster College in 1968.

Joe achieved a 154-34-4 record over his long coaching career. During those years he received numerous honors, culminating in being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2019 he was recognized by ESPN as one of the 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history. More recently, he was honored by former Westminster athletes who initiated and funded the Joseph B. Fusco Endowed Scholarship for Educational Excellence.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gail (Painter) Fusco; two sons, Joe Fusco (Juan Carlos Aviles) of Washington, D.C., and Mark Fusco (Angela Loder) of Denver, Colo.; brother, Larry Fusco (MaryAnn) of Greensburg; and three grandsons, Marcus, Luca and Quincy Fusco.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Frank and Ben.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Westminster College in memory of Joe Fusco designated to the Towering Titan Organization General Fund, or the Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania.

FUSCO

Joseph Blaise, 87, New Wilmington.

Calling hours: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 310 W. Neshannock Ave., New Wilmington.

Services: 1:30 p.m., Sunday, March 30, at the Wallace Memorial Chapel on the Westminster College campus, 149 Maple St., New Wilmington; a reception will follow.