CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Those who knew Joe Fazio of Charleston would agree he lived a full life. The longtime and well-known resident died Sunday at the age of 94.
“I was working at night and I used to go eat late after I got off work at the Sterling Restaurant and Joe was a coffee drinker and he used to come in there,” said Charleston Mayor Danny Jones while talking about Fazio on his radio show 580-Live on MetroNews Affiliate 580-WCHS. “He’d come in and guys would gather around and they would all chat.”
Jones said he got to know Fazio in the early 1970’s through his association with other movers and shakers in the Capital City.
“Joe liked to play cards and he liked to box. He was a really good boxer,” said Jones. “He was so incredibly kind to me and he always made me feel special and always knew who I was.”
Fazio’s father owned a restaurant on Charleston’s Bullitt Street which Fazio took over in the 1950’s and grew it into one of the city’s most famous eating establishments.
“His restaurant went from very small to just one room at a time and building on, building on, and building on,” said Jones, who became familiar with Fazio during his own days in the restaurant business. “His restaurants were always so clean. I couldn’t have gotten a restaurant that clean. I was so struck by how clean it was.”
Fazio joined the Army in 1943 and ran the mess hall. According to his family, he derived his inspiration for cooking for his mother and was always working to come up with his own creations, refusing to ever copy anyone else. He was also adept at boxing and taught others how to box in the service.
When he returned from World War II, Fazio took a job with another well-known Charleston restaurateur, Frankie Veltri who owned the famous Holley Hotel. He worked as a bouncer there until taking over his father’s restaurant.
Fazio also had an interest in jewelry and at one time owned a jewelry store in Kanawha City.
“I’m so sorry he’s gone, but I’m glad he lived 94 years and was able to be part of our culture and our space here in Charleston,” said Jones. “I think it’s a fabulous contribution he made.”
His funeral is set for Friday at Charleston’s First Presbyterian Church. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Manna Meals of Charleston.