Joseph Di Venere – The Man, The Myth, The Legend. There will never be another.

Joseph ("Joe" or "Pino") Di Venere, middle child of three siblings, was born on February 27, 1939, in Carbonara, Bari, Italy. He is survived by his wife Agata (Giannelli) Di Venere; his daughters Delia (Andrew) Ficzko, Luciana (Antonio) Di Lorenzo, and Diana Di Venere; his grandchildren, Gisella Di Lorenzo, Jax Ficzko, and Julian Ficzko.

To quote John Wayne, "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway."  Joe had courage in spades.  Displaying his courageous and ambitious ways even at a young age, Joe set off, on his own as a young teenager, thousands of miles from his family in Italy, to the United States to find his destiny. Through hard work, constant sacrifice, and the unwavering drive to achieve success, Joe found his mark in the food niche, becoming an entrepreneur and opening several Italian-themed restaurants and pizzerias. One of his biggest accomplishments, was The Red Tomato which he opened in the early 1990s, showing all of Chicagoland his fine eye for only the finest food and dining experience, and his interior design flare. It was no small achievement finding success in the Wrigleyville area on Southport Avenue as there were no other restaurants in that area. Betting on himself, Joe eventually paved the way for Southport Avenue to be one of the hottest neighborhoods to eat and shop, showing the world his innovative and visionary traits we all have known and come to love.

Along the way, Joe met his true love and the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, Agata (Tina) Giannelli. Joe and Tina were blessed with three beautiful daughters: Delia, Luciana, and Diana. Providing him the strength and energy he needed to never falter under the stresses of being a business owner, Joe's family was his constant backbone.

No secret to his family and all those fortunate to meet him, Joe was the most kind-hearted, generous, and welcoming person you could ever meet. He was also the guy in the room with the best fashion sense and he had the charisma and personality that made him the total package in every sense possible. Joe had a special place in his heart for his pets including his pups, Duncan, Donut, and Max. We also cannot forget his love for Goldie, the goldfish he fed bread to that eventually became almost as big as a koi  : ).

After finding great success in the restaurant industry, Joe retired in 2008 to focus on spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. One of Joe's most precious gifts in his life were his grandchildren and becoming a grandfather to three beautiful grandchildren: Gisella, Jax, and Julian. Joe's grandchildren stole his heart from the moment each were born. Joe devoted his remaining years focusing on helping raise and provide the necessary guidance to his grandchildren so they would grow to inherit the grand spirit and love of life he had.

Around the time Joe opened The Red Tomato he built a beautiful home in Park Ridge. This home was the headquarters for happiness, holidays, and really any reason to just have a great conversation with whomever wanted to enjoy.

Joe was also blessed with two sons-in-law, Antonio Di Lorenzo and Andrew Ficzko, and their amazing families. These young bucks thought they'd teach Joe a thing or two about having a good time, but boy, did Antonio and Andrew soon learn otherwise. The after-dinner conversations were some of the most inspirational and memorable moments his sons-in-law will forever cherish and pass on to their children.

Joe was the best boss, son, brother, friend, husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather anyone could ever ask for.

Salute Pop, we love you! You will never ever be forgotten. We hope you are enjoying many fine wines and delicious Italian desserts in heaven, and you are finally able to ride around in your dream car, a  911 Porsche.  Until we meet again, may you rest in everlasting peace.  Ti vogliamo molto bene.

Visitation Saturday October 28, 2023 at the Skaja Terrace Funeral Home, 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles IL 60714 from 9 AM until Funeral Service 12 Noon. Interment All Saints Cemetery. Funeral info: 847-966-7302