Joe Clements Obituary

Clements, Joe
ALBANY - Joe Clements, 63, passed away peacefully at home, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. He fought his hardest to hold on for a few more days to roast the people he loved most, and to fight his grandkids for the last cookie one last time.
Joe leaves behind his beloved daughters, Jessica (37) and Emilie (33); and his grandchildren, Salvatore (4) and Gia (22 months). He also leaves his siblings, his brother, Thomas Clements, who was his rock through his recent diagnosis (and plenty of doctor visits in and out of the house); and his sister, Theresa Flores (Gus), who recently shared and celebrated being grandparents, and spent time together comparing photos of their beautiful grandbabies. A special mention to Tim Dix, who somehow managed to tolerate him for decades, but always his ride or die. A friend so close she has her own seat at the family table, Carol Chiarella. Our Grandma and Poppy (Joe's mother and father) opened the door for him at the end of his journey, along with many aunts and uncles and all our four-legged tail waggers.
Joe married Mary (Brayton) at 30. They opened a deli in the port of Albany called E&J Deli named after their beloved daughters, Emilie and Jessica. The establishment of E&J Deli began the family tradition of the open-door policy for great friendships and memories for years to come.
Joe dedicated his life to hard work. There wasn't much that slowed him down, including snow days. He would be out plowing before sunrise and then would come home to feed everyone our grandmother's leftovers, like it was a feast he prepared. Following E&J Deli, Joe worked at Caterpillar, Leroy Holding, and he was a fan favorite at Axis Auto. If you needed parts, odds are it was his voice answering the phone, ready to help and yelling the vin number…HENRY LARRY PETER 8978. If you had the pleasure to work with Joe, you knew this meant you were signing up for a daily dose of dark humor, sarcastic one-liners, and the kind of loyalty you don't find just anywhere. Our dad always had a Mountain Dew in hand, and your back in the other. You could always count on him for his brutal honesty, and chances are he probably ended up giving you a life-lecture at some point. If you were lucky enough to have a nickname, that was Joe's way of saying you were more than a coworker, you were his buddy and friend. This was one part of the blue collar life he loved, and couldn't be a day without.
Our dad gave us many wonderful years of fishing, painting pumpkins, digging through estate sales, and bidding at Lincoln Auction. He leaves behind more tools than two girls know what to do with, but somehow, we'll figure it out, as lucky for us, he labeled everything with his all CAPS PENMANSHIP. Dad leaves behind so many friends who were more like family. To all his West Albany crew, you're in luck! Get ready for our daily calls asking, "So… what's the latest drama?"... Spoiler alert: we're planning on keeping that tradition alive.
For birthdays and holidays, our dad would request a new pocket t-shirt. If we went on vacation we would be on the look out to find one. You would be surprised at how challenging it was to find a pocket t-shirt, but if you knew Joe, you knew that's all he wore. In hindsight, the dedication and hunt for the perfect t-shirt for our dad, helped to prepare us to be the best moms, ready for anything and unwilling to ever quit. The days will never be the same without him, but the memories will carry us along in challenging times.
In honor of our dad, we ask for everyone who helps us, celebrate and remember Joe's life to come dressed in your best pocket t-shirt, like he always did. His services will take place on Thursday, July 31, from 4 to 6 p.m., at New Comer Cremations and Funerals, 181 Troy Schenectady Rd., Watervliet, N.Y. 12189.