Joseph T. Reddington

Joseph T. Reddington, age 90, of Canton, Mass., passed away on Saturday morning. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosemary J. "Roses" (McGee), after 63 years of marriage. A longtime resident of Needham, Mass., Joe moved to Canton after Rosemary's passing in 2017.

Born in Scranton in 1929, he was the third of three sons of the late Thomas V. and Sarah Langan Reddington. After graduating from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science in physics, Joe put his sharp mind and never-ending curiosity to work in the then fledgling field of computers. While employed at the Burroughs Corp. in the 1950s, he was part of the team that designed the first "desk size" computer (It was literally the size of a desk.) In the 1960s, Joe transitioned into sales, and was throughout his career employed in the startup of several now major Silicon Valley computer memory manufacturers. After his first "retirement," Joe worked until age 87 at the Vita Needle Co. in Needham. He and his coworkers were featured on NPR, PBS, NBC News, 60 Minutes and several European television shows and documentaries that focused on older Americans in the workforce. Always one to pitch in and help out, Joe served as an usher at St. Bartholomew Parish for over 50 years (while Rosemary sang in the choir), and along with Rosemary worked at his local polling precinct for over 40 years. He loved puns, wordplay, singing, puzzles and solving problems. He especially enjoyed working on cars - his own, and those of his children, their friends and several of his neighbors on Tudor Road.

Joe is survived by his six children, 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews of the Reddington and McGee families.

Children: Joseph "Jay" Jr. (Terri Bachman), Daniel (Jody Spiegel), Terrence (Susan Pineo), Richard (Debbie Horner), Maureen Potter (Paul D'Ascensio) and Katie (David Vaas); grandchildren: Danielle Blaine, Terrence Jr. (Angela Nigro), Dean (Ashley Paiva), Jeffrey (Jasmine Cherico), Corinne (Michael Nowak), Richard Jr. (Laura Finnucan), Christopher (Jess Baillie), Joseph, Sarah Potter, James Potter Jr., Gregory Potter, Brett Vaas, Mallory Vaas; great-grandchildren: Kaiha, Ellie, Owen, Reagan, Max, Sierra, Austin, Layla, Melanie, Ava and more on the way.

In addition to his wife and parents, Joe was preceded in death by two brothers and their wives, Thomas and Anne Reddington, and John and Dorothy Reddington; and a granddaughter Caroline Potter.

The Reddington family would like to thank Yatish M. Patel, M.D., of Needham for the decades of excellent care he provided to our parents, and the residents and staff of Brightview Senior Living in Canton for providing a comfortable and friendly home for Joe during the years after Rosemary's death.

Joe's entire family gathered in December to celebrate his 90th birthday. In full voice and with the impish grin and laughing eyes that were his trademark, Joe serenaded the clan with his rendition of one of his favorites: My Grandfather's Clock. "Ninety years without slumbering... tick tock... tick tock... his life seconds numbering tick tock... tick tock... but it stopped short never to go again, when the old man died."

We love you Dad! Give Mom a big kiss for us.

Due to the pandemic, a private interment for immediate family will be held at Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton.

Arrangements, Frank M. Regan Funeral Home, 715 Linden St., Scranton, PA 18510.

No flowers please. If you wish to make a memorial donation in Joe's name, please consider either the American Cancer Society at: www.cancer.org or the Jimmy Fund at: www.jimmyfund.org.