Joseph A. Urban

Joseph Anthony Urban, 64, passed away unexpectedly on October 9, 2025. Joe was born on July 20, 1961, a beloved son of the late John and Kathryn Urban. He was a lifetime resident of Syracuse, NY and a communicant at St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church before their closure in 2009.

Joe attended Percy Hughes Elementary, Clary Junior High, and Nottingham High School, graduating from Nottingham in June 1980. During his high school years, he was an avid bowler at the Valley Sport Center on the South Side of Syracuse and earned several awards for his bowling team efforts. As a boy, Joe attended Lourdes overnight camp and YMCA day camp, where he was named “Camper of the Week” multiple times. He also loved playing Putt-Putt Golf with others. Joe joined his family on yearly Adirondack vacations, where he took part in fishing, walking, and swimming with family and friends. Joe found joy in nature and was especially drawn to Her creatures, who took refuge in his gentle compassion. He often fed, and befriended, the backyard squirrels, who came to approach without fear. Joe’s affections toward dogs and cats were happily reciprocated; most recently, he loved getting “beard-kisses” from Norah, his nephew Christopher’s dog. Joe was a television show aficionado. Particular favorites were game shows like “Wheel of Fortune”, whose puzzles he solved before the contestants, as well as sitcoms, whose lines he quoted word-for-word. Joe’s exceptional memory was showcased via these and other amazing feats like recalling the exact date of most any life event on a whim. Eating out was one of Joe’s great pleasures. Friendly’s, Dairy Queen, and Sonic were special favorites; his go-to order always had onion rings, applesauce, and a vanilla milkshake. Joe’s unbridled delight while drinking a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee was infectious. Joe’s kind soul and sweet smile persist as lights in the hearts of those who loved him. 

He will be dearly missed, and warmly remembered, by his surviving family: his sister, Janet; his nephew, Christopher; his aunt and uncle, Beth and Ted Grome; and his six cousins, Sandy Johnson, Debbie Bognaski, Michelle Wood, Michael Urban, Christopher Grome, and Jeffrey Grome.

 A huge thank you to the Loretto Group home staff who assisted in Joe’s care for the past fifteen years. 

Family and friends may call from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, October 19 at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 705 North Main Street, North Syracuse, and are welcome to a get-together afterwards at Twin Trees III Restaurant, 310 North Main Street. 

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 20 at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church, 4845 South Salina Street, Syracuse, followed by a burial procession to St. Mary’s Cemetery, 4100 East Genesee Street, Dewitt.

To share a memory of Joseph or leave a special message for his family, visit the guest book below.