Joseph Arthur Iozzi, 80, of Hancock, NY, passed away on November 4, 2026.He was born to Arthur Paul Iozzi and Ernie (Strunk) Iozzi in New York City on May 28, 1946. 

He did not attend school for most of 6th and 7th grade. He instead did other things like taking daily walks with former President, Harry S. Truman. Truant officers hastened his departure from the city.

He moved to Hancock in 1959. Until that time he had lived in Lebanon Springs, NY, Ann Arundel Hills, MD, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, NY. 

While a junior at HCS he received The Gold Key Award from Scholastic Magazine for his excellence in art. His art work (scratchboard) was exhibited at Roberson Memorial Art gallery in Binghamton for two consecutive years. Along with classmates Donald Barclay and Eddie Thiele, Joe also won 3rd place at the Oneonta Science Congress, for their work, "Projectiles and Astronomy". Under the guidance of HCS art teacher, Gene Carnahan, he graduated Hancock with a Regents Diploma in Art, the first person to do so. 

After several entry level jobs in the advertising business, Joe was lucky enough to land his dream job at iconic ad agency, Doyle Dane Bernbach, hailed by Advertising Age as,"The most creative advertising agency in the history of advertising." The agency was famous for its' ad campaigns for Volkswagon, Avis Rent A Car, Polaroid, Sony, Levy's Jewish Rye Bread, and Chivas Regal Scotch. 

From DDB he moved on to Young & Rubicam Advertising, where he was dubbed the "Renascence Man" by copy chief Tim Worth, because he wrote his own copy, as well as being the art director. At Y&R he worked on iconic brands such as Jello, Chrysler Corp., Eastern Airlines, Birds-Eye Vegetables and General Electric.

In 1969 he began his own ad agency in New York City. His first account was Arrow Shirts, soon to be followed by Hertz Rent A Car and Celanese Plastics. 

He won many advertising awards over his career. He received "The Readers Digest Print Award" for creating the most successful direct response ad in the history of Readers Digest, a similar award from Life Magazine for his work on Birds-Eye vegetables. He also received several awards from the Ad Club of NY for print and Television advertising created for The Movie Channel, Nickelodeon, Rolls_Royce, and Celanse Plastics. He was also cited by Daniel Starch for creating one of the "100 Best Read Ads."

He was especially proud of helping launch The Movie Channel and Nickelodeon in 1979. He named the channels and created all the trademarks, advertising, media methodology, and marketing for their first year of existence.

While in the ad business he started several retail businesses on the side, a clothing store, Pizzeria/Billiard Hall, and Satellite Company, all based in Hancock, and a Health Food Store located in Forest Hills, NY. He always returned to advertising.

In 1981 he received a United States Patent for a Closed Cycle Hydraulic Turbine Heat Engine, a device that converted sun light to mechanical or electrical energy.

In his later years he did considerable pro bono work for institutions such as churches and orphanages locally, and in Haiti. He helped start up businesses from Buffalo to Brooklyn through a program called, Mentor New York, a state program, where he provided free marketing and advertising services to small start up companies, and entrepreneurs. He also provided gratis, projections and research, through the Business Leaders Survey, to the Federal Reserve Bank Of New York.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Bonnie (Dingee) Iozzi, his son, and his wife, Joseph Iozzi II, and Christine (Crosby) Iozzi; two granddaughters, Taylor and Jordan Iozzi; a great grandson, Maverick Grier; sisters, Sandy (Grot) Gapolin, Nichole Iozzi (Rick Weidenbach), and Michele Iozzi; brother and sister-in-law Terry and Sue (Dohrn) Dingee; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister Christine (Grot) Fritz, brother Tom Grot and brother Tom Jordan.

Joe’s wishes were to donate his remains to Albany Medical College for teaching and research. He signed up for the Anatomical Gift Program some 35 years ago. Circumstances prevented that final contribution to mankind.

He will be cremated and a private graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family.

Those wishing to honor Joe’s memory can donate to The Fisher House, 113 Holland Ave., Albany, NY 12208 , or Hancock Happy Tails Cat Care Program, PO Box 856, Hancock, NY 13783, or an animal charity of your choice.

Arrangements by Henderson-Biedekapp Funeral Chapel, Hancock.