President of our Board of Directors, Colleague, Friend, Gentle Man
Joe C. Pacifico, of Laurel, MD, passed away on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 at the age of 71.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Claire Pacifico; children, Mark (Susan) Pacifico and David (Michelle) Pacifico; siblings, Mary Ann (Sherrill) Munn and Carl J. (Diana) Pacifico; grandchildren, Anna Pacifico, Robert Pacifico, Leah Pacifico, and Amy Pacifico. He was predeceased by his parents, Carl Pacifico and Mary Campbell.
Joe was always a kind and thoughtful person. He was personal and always had time to talk to you. Joe was passionate about mental health. He will be missed immensely.
Andrea
There was a quality in Joe Pacifico that was rare in these days:
Beyond having the character of a gentleman-
Beyond having a heart for those in need-
Beyond being a compassionate listener and still a man who put works to faith-
He was a man who was not idle, but pressed through life, daily moving as if on a mission.
Who made time count:
To share his loving heart, to give and serve, to make things better, never without a strategy and a plan.
Embracing and overcoming obstacles as God gave him strength and courage.
A man of vision.
With a heart tender toward His God.
With a warm and winning countenance.
Or a sober resolve when there was work to be done or a problem to be solved.
Without question, he fought a good fight.
He now rests in quietness, peace, and the boundless grace that only God can give.
To God alone, be all Glory, all Honor, all Praise and Adoration.
Lovingly,
His colleague and a dear friend in Christ.
~~Janice
Joe Pacifico joined the counseling staff of Christian Counseling Associates, Inc. (CCA) in the 1990s. He’d quit his high-paying job to take a new direction in life, to fulfill his dream, and become a mental health counselor. It wasn’t until after his death that some of us at CCA had learned the sacrifice both he and his family made so that he could dedicate himself to this ministry.
He was not just a gentleman, he was a gentle man who truly cared about each and every person he met at CCA and in his personal life. If you gave him five minutes, he’d know everything about you. He was interested. He cared.
Some of us at the desk used to call him “GG” –short for Great Guy. He was the first to volunteer to help and the first to visit you when you were sick. There was a peace that seemed to surround him and fill you when you were near. Maybe it was the ever-present smile!
Whenever Joe saw a need, he looked for ways CCA could address it. Knowing marriages were particularly challenging, he learned and administered marriage preparation consultations. He researched and applied anger-management counseling. When our office suffered harassment by area youths, he not only personally installed an alarm that would ensure our staff stayed safe, but he searched for ways CCA could help the youth in the community so they could make better choices. That’s the kind of man he was.
Shortly after he retired from CCA as a counselor, he stepped up to be the President of our Board of Directors, actively working to ensure that CCA was all it could be. As the Covid Pandemic hit the globe, he was instrumental in making sure CCA was prepared, even purchasing needed equipment like air purifying devices that required him to come in early each morning to open windows.
We thank God for the opportunity to have known and learned from Joe Pacific.
~~
Peace to you, Joe, our colleague, friend, and Brother-In-Christ.