“Deacon Gagne is remembered by many as a man of deep faith and a strong commitment to serve others. Please pray for the repose of his soul and the consolation of his family,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.
In 1996, Deacon Joe applied to the Permanent Diaconate Program. He was ordained on June 24, 2000, by Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport. His first assignment was to Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Norwalk.
On his application to the Diaconate program, Deacon Gagne wrote, “I want to serve others and God. To me, service means helping others without expecting anything in return.”
Deacon Gagne also served at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Stratford and Holy Family in Fairfield. Throughout these parish assignments, he was a member of the Diaconate Council, and was active in Prison Ministry, as well as Parish Bereavement Ministry. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Knight of Columbus and a Past Grand Knight of the Father Coleman Council. He served as a caseworker at the Thomas Merton Center in Bridgeport.
A graduate of Windham High School, he received a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Sociology from the University of CT. While an undergraduate, Joe enrolled in the R.O.T.C. program and was a member of the Scabbard and Blade Military Honor Society and a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Following his military service, Joe became employed as a U.S. Probation and Parole Officer in Kansas City, KS and after continued that role in CT. He would later be assigned as Chief U.S. Pretrial Services Officer for the U.S. District Court of CT.
Throughout his life, Joseph was an active volunteer in his parish and within the community where he was involved with serving as an EMT, as well as a CPR and First Aid Instructor, for the Red Cross.
Joseph H. Gagne was born on March 25, 1942, in Williamantic, to Joseph and Blanche Gagne. He was baptized at Saint Mary Catholic Church, Williamantic, and received his First Holy Communion and Confirmation there.
Deacon Gagne and his wife, Roberta, were married on July 30, 1966, at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Williamantic, and enjoyed 58 years of marriage. They have three grown children; Peter, Timothy, and John.
Deacon Joseph’s body will be received at St. Pius X Church on Monday, April 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm and will lie in repose from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. On Tuesday, April 23rd, at 10:00 am
The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano will celebrate the funeral Mass. Father Richard Murphy will be the Homilist.
Deacons will gather at 9:30 am to pray Morning Prayer from the Office of the Dead. Interment with military honors will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 415 Crossways Park Drive, Suite D, Woodbury, NY 11797 or to The Salesian Missions, 2 Le Fevres Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10801.
Condolences can be sent to:
Roberta Gagne
23 Pell Meadow Drive
Fairfield, CT 06824
