Our Dad, Joseph V. Hart, 91, resident of Hawthorne for 60 years, passed away on January 27, 2019. He was born during the Great Depression in Manhattan (Yorkville) New York on February 8, 1927. The son of Bella and Larry Hart, he was the second of four children - Willie, Theresa and Grace. Dad grew up in a musical family. His father made his first guitar by adding some strings to a cigar box. Dad became a well-known Jazz Guitarist and toured with the Big Bands and got to play with some of his idols - Dave Mckenna, Bobby Hackett. During this time he also wrote musical compositions, among them “People, Places and Things.” Dad attended Cardinal Hayes High School and served in WW II on PT Boats in the Pacific. He then joined the NYFD and volunteered to be one of the founding members of Squad 1. The Squad was created to increase the number of rescues and reduce the number of multiple alarms in Harlem and the South Bronx. As the Bronx was being burned down the Squad responded to 400-500 fires a month, without air packs or protective gear. At that time, Squad 1 was the busiest fire house in the United States. Dad rose to the rank of Lieutenant and he, as all his comrades, rescued dozens and dozens of families and children who would have otherwise perished. This gave our Dad great satisfaction although he did not believe he was exceptional in any way. In 1953 he married his great love, Joan Greene (our Mom). They purchased property in Hawthorne, NY for $600 and together, with Dad’s sister, mother and aunt, built their home with their own hands with the aid of the local milkman/handyman, John Groth. Dad and Mom remained there until their passing, raising five children – Eileen, Michael, Joseph, Christopher and Kathleen. He is also dearly loved his grandchildren – Hudson, Katie, Spencer and Patrick. In 1967, due to numerous injuries he received in the line of duty, Dad underwent spinal surgery. The orthopedist removed the wrong disc and fused it in the wrong direction. Dad became bed-ridden at age 38, with chronic pain, bilateral sciatic neuritis and arachnoiditis. He was put out of the Fire Department. Dad underwent subsequent spinal surgeries at New York Presbyterian but they did not provide relief. For over 40 years the Neurological Institute recommended that he be paralyzed from the waist down, as they felt that no modality – pain medication, epidurals, exercise, etc., would provide sufficient pain relief. Dad always declined their offer.Fortunately for us, neither Mom nor Dad became bitter and angry due to what life dealt them. Mom was also disabled and bedridden for ten years due to a medical error. She passed in 2006. Together they remained, upbeat, optimistic, thankful, joyful and hopeful –which was a great gift to all of us. Due to their strength of character they both considered themselves blessed, no matter what. How they chose to react to life taught us a great lesson and kept us sane (relatively!!) – and grateful. Our Dad was a great fellow. Nothing made him happier than helping others – bringing joy as a musician, working to defeat the enemy during WW II, saving lives as a Fire Officer, answering the call to help strangers, neighbors, friends and family. It is no exaggeration to say that our Dad, even as disabled he was at age 91, would have somehow risen and rendered assistance to anyone in need. Dad’s wake is at Beecher Flooks Funeral Home, 418 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570 on Friday, February 1, from 3-5pm to 7-9pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 1pm Saturday afternoon, February 2 at the Church of the Magdalene, 525 Bedford Road, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591. In lieu of flowers, donations will be happily accepted for the Joan Hart Memorial Scholarship at Westchester Community College awarded to a student in need. Address is Westchester Community College Foundation, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10591. Or donations to the Lorraine Greene Lee Foundation would be appreciated. Our cousin Lorraine died in the South Tower on 9-11. She had the opportunity to evacuate but stayed behind assisting others. The Fund donates to charities that Lorraine supported (children’s charities). The address is Lorraine Greene Lee Memorial Foundation, 2 Blueberry Lane, Leonardo, New Jersey 07737. Please also consider doing something that our parents did their entire lives – help someone in need - with a smile, an encouraging word, or just by listening. Kindness and Encouragement are still in great need! It will make your day. Happy Days Magee !!! to Dad and Mom as they trip the light fantastic!! We love them dearly…and now they are together again watching over us still.