Joe Martoccia, "Mr. Pompton Lakes" passed on in April of 2003. Everyone knows who "Mr. Pompton Lakes" is especially if anyone is in need of help of any kind. He was given this title by the borough in 1978.

Joe Martoccia joined the First Aid Squad when he was 33 years old, and has been involved with it ever since. During his service on the squad he helped deliver 15 babies.

A faithful member of all service organizations, Joe hasn't been absent from meetings nor has he been unable to respond to a call to his home over the inter-com. At one time, when he was in the hospital for a short stay, every member of the Rotary showed up at his bedside to conduct their meeting and to insure that Joe had a "clean" record.

He is a charter member and president of Pompton Lakes Rotary Club and was chosen for the Paul Harris Fellow award, the highest honor the Rotary can bestow on a member.

Joe's father helped start the Chamber of Commerce in 1925 and his son later became president and is now permanent treasurer.

A list of all the honors bestowed on Joe Martoccia covers a couple of pages. But the kindness, love, friendliness, understanding and willingness to help anyone, anytime shown by all his actions cannot easily be described or documented.

Mr. Martoccia's family came to Pompton Lakes in 1913 when Joe, his sisters Mary and Rose (now deceased) were children. Their father, an electrician and later a coal and lumber dealer died in 1937. Their mother instilled in all the family the love of service to the community. The warmth and generosity of spirit evident in all their actions were gifts to everyone who was fortunate enough to meet them.

At a service honoring Joe Martoccia by the Pompton Lakes business community and borough leaders in February 1995, Al Josephsen said "Whoever coined the phrase that service to humanity is the greatest work of life, must have been talking about Joe Martoccia."