Obituary

Started by Jim DeSimone on Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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John Desimone

DeSIMONE, John Age 94, passed away on February 19, 2010. A native of Mount Laurel, John graduated from Moorestown HS in 1934. He was devoted to his family, his country, his religion, and his church. Extremely well read, he loved to discuss books, religion, politics, history, current events, and especially his experiences in WWII and the Battle of the Bulge. He was drafted into the Army in 1942, became a Combat Medic, Staff Sgt, was awarded the Combat Medical Badge and Bronze Star for Valor, and earned 3 Battle Stars in the ETO while serving in the 83rd Infantry (Thunderbolt) Division, 330th Regt, 2nd Battalion, Company E, 1st Platoon at the Battle of the Bulge and on into Germany. He was proud of the fact that his outfit was nicknamed the "Rag Tag Circus" because of all the enemy vehicles and POWs it captured, and used the vehicles to speed their advance to the Elbe River. He turned down the Army's offer to go to OCS, and after being Honorably Discharged in 1946, he returned to Mount Laurel and owned DeSimone's Hartford Service Center Station from 1947 to 1982. After retiring in 1982, John travelled to see some of the world, finally visiting his brother, nephews, and nieces in Italy. He leaves behind his brother, Albert Moscat-ello and wife Florence, sister-in-law Dorothy Moscatello, his extremely loving, constantly devoted, and caring niece Mary Ann Failla, his devoted nephew Robert DeSimone, many loving nephews, nieces, and friends. Preceded in death by parents Mary and Gaetano DeSimone; sisters Virginia (Vincenzo) DiGalbo, Carmela (Santo) Failla; brothers Antonio (Maria) DeSimone, Salvatore (Katherine) Hodge, Charles (Helen) DeSimone, and Joseph Moscatello. He enjoyed being visited by friends and family, and discussing his combat service and joking about how he "mistakenly" ended up in the Front Line after the Army misidentified him as a Nurse. He attended the D-Day Anniversary Service in Normandy in 1994, sitting in the front row of veterans near President Clinton, and corresponded with Belgians he had befriended during the war. John devoted the rest of his life to inspiring and helping others in need and to serving God, Church, Country, and community in the Masonville Fire Co. and First Aid Squad (since 1937), Caregivers of Moorestown, volunteer at Cathedral Kitchen (Camden); Sextant, Sacristan, and Eucharistic Minister at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church; and honored with the Lifetime Volunteer Service J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award and Young at Heart Award. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all who were blessed to know him and his compassion and kindness. John's viewing will be Thursday, Feb. 25th, from 7 to 9 PM, and Friday, Feb. 26th from 9:15 to 10:15 AM at MOUNT LAUREL HOME FOR FUNERALS, 212 Ark Road. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 1603 Marne Highway, Hainesport, NJ 08036. Interment will follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Moorestown. Contributions in John's honor may be made to Our Lady Queen of Peace Church at the above address.

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