Joseph J. Loboda

Joseph J. Loboda, age 92, of Deal, New Jersey, died at Artis Senior Living of Brick on April 4, 2022. Joe was born on March 1, 1930, in Dabrowa, Poland, to John and Stephania Loboda. He came to the United States at the age of 6 in 1936 and settled in the Ironbound section of Newark. He was a member of the St. Casimir Polish Roman Catholic Church. Joe graduated from East Side High School in 1947. Following graduation, he started working at Westinghouse at the age of 19. In June of 1953 he joined the Army and served in the Korean conflict in the 64th Tank Battalion until February of 1954. He rose to the rank of Staff Sargent and was awarded the Commendation Medal on March 20, 1954. He later attended Fairleigh Dickinson College and became an electrical engineer and service manager at Westinghouse. In all, he worked for Westinghouse for 38 years. Joe was an accomplished accordion player who played professionally into his 20s. He met his wife, Anna Kurilec Loboda, at a polka dance in 1956. It is a humorous family story that Anna’s older brother, John, followed Joe and Anna on their first date, which was to the Jersey shore, to spy on them. They married on August 31, 1957. Joe and Anna had three children who they raised on the Jersey Shore. Joe and Anna invested in various properties in New Jersey and surrounding states. They were quite visible in Asbury Park for decades as landlord of the Steinbach Executive Office Building, which they sold to an investor in 2014. They are credited with bringing many interesting tenants to the downtown Asbury Park at a time when others would not give smaller businesses a chance at success. During the last few decades of his life, Joe spent many hours maintaining the property, making repairs and taking care of tenants’ needs. He was a quiet, gentle man who served his country and put his family and their needs and wishes first. He will be truly missed. Joe was preceded in death by both his parents Stephania and John Loboda, his wife, Anna Loboda, and his brother, Wesley Loboda. He is survived by his children Cheryl Hyman (Barry), Allenwood, NJ; Joseph Loboda Jr., Cedar Rapids, Ia.; and Drew Loboda (Becky), Kansas City, Mo., and grandchildren Jessica Jackson, Joseph Loboda, Michael Loboda (Hayley), and Anya Loboda. A family memorial service will be scheduled for later this year. In lieu of flowers, contributions are welcome to UNICEF to help with the children in Ukraine at www.unicefusa.org.