Joseph John Sabatella

Joseph Sabatella, 94, passed away in his home on the 8th of September. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on the 5th of May, 1931. Joe was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Ruth Sabatella. He is survived by his eight children: John and wife Vicki, Steven, Michael, Joseph and wife Carol, Philip, Thomas, Mary, and Clarissa; his sister: Philma Hinkhouse and family; his four grandchildren: Ashton and husband Will, Veronica, Taylor, and Vincent; and one great-grandchild: Grant. Joe took great pride in his military service. After joining the ROTC during his undergraduate studies, he was commissioned as a 2nd. Lt. in the U.S. Army and completed two years of active duty as a Battery Executive Officer and Headquarters Battery Commander in the 496th AAA Gun Battalion. Joe earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Graphics from the University of Illinois in 1958 and within the same month began working as an office manager and color consultant at Elenhank Designers, an exclusive design firm in Riverside, Illinois. In 1959 Joe accepted a teaching position in the Department of Architecture at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He was appointed Assistant Dean of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts in 1966 and in 1975 he was selected as the first dean of the College of Fine Arts, a position he held until 1990. He returned to teaching until his retirement in 1996. Joe and Ruth married on the 16th of August, 1952. Together they had eight children – six boys and two girls. Joe designed and built a home to accommodate their large family, with construction completed in 1968. Joe and Ruth remained in that home until their respective passings. Joe had a passion for creating art, and his work appeared in numerous exhibitions over the years. He was proudly listed in the 1978 edition of Who's Who in American Art. His home showcased many of his own pieces, as well as many created by colleagues and friends. In his free time, Joe also enjoyed watching sports, cheering on the Gators, fishing, gardening, attending church, and spending time with his wife and family. Joe was a beloved father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, educator, and friend, and he will be greatly missed. A funeral mass is scheduled for Saturday, the 11th of October, at 1PM at Holy Faith Catholic Church, 747 N.W. 43rd. St., Gainesville, with interment to follow in Forest Meadows Memorial Park Central. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Joseph’s honor to Haven Hospice, https://havenhospice.com/donate.

Joseph John Sabatella

May 5, 1931 - September 9, 2025