In Memory of Brother Joe Sposita

Brothers and Sisters,

I am regrettably sorry to inform you of the Passing of One of our own, On Behalf of his Son and our Brother Tony Sposita, and the rest of our extended family we would like to thank you all for the heartfelt condolences we are receiving from across this great country. Also thank you Marty for the great eulogy you wrote below for our Trade Paper.

Brother Joe Sposita, an amiable Plumbers Local 98 member whose career included long terms as Business Manager of his local union and then United Association International Representative, passed away Aug. 13, 2020. He was 86.

Brother Sposita retired in 2001 after working as 48 years of active membership in Local 98. He began his apprenticeship in 1952, was elected to the local’s Executive Board in 1964, was elected Business Representative in 1967, then Business Manager in 1974 – an office he held for 15 years.

In 1989, Brother Sposita was assigned to represent the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin as a representative for the International Association of Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and Sprinkler Fitters, and in 1997, he was assigned to represent the State of Michigan.

“I can’t help but think of the good life the UA has given us over the years,” Sposita said during his retirement party in 2001, which was attended by 800 well-wishers. “There have been many challenges over the years, many tough times, but we always seemed to come out OK. For all building trade union workers, the most important thing that I have learned over the years is that if we stay together, we will prosper and continue to provide good jobs in this country.”

Mr. Sposita was a UA representative during a wrenching time in the organization when local unions in Michigan and across the country were consolidated.

“Joe has been an outstanding leader in Local 98 and in the United Association, and he’s built a lot of friendships over the years,” said Gary Young, then Business Manager and master of ceremonies at the party, and later a UA representative. “The 800 people in this room are proof of that.”

After his retirement, Brother Sposita went into the restaurant business, starting Sposita’s Ristorante in West Bloomfield.

Surviving Mr. Sposita are his wife Lois and son Tony. He is predeceased by his son Joe. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews in our local .

“There aren’t too many people who you can call a legend, but Joe was a legend,” he was known by every local union in the United States and Canada said Local 98 Business Manager Carlo Castiglione. “He had a great memory, he appreciated our history, and he never forgot a name or a face. Joe loved his union and was fierce advocate of the UA, he was very outgoing and friendly. If you were good to Joe, you had a friend for life. Many of us got the lecture starting with “ Believe you me, Joe Sposita knows that Local Union and…..” I will miss those the most, Joe died a husband, a father, and a restaurant owner – and a great union man. I think this quote suits him best, “ A man is the sum of his actions of what he has done , of what he can do and nothing else”.

R.I.P. Joe, you will be missed.