Joseph Patrick Tagliente died Friday, May 18, in his home in Weston, Mass., surrounded by his family. Joe was born on August 6, 1923 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Italian immigrants Francesco Tagliente and Filomena Leo Tagliente. He grew up during the Great Depression, providing additional household income as a child by selling newspapers and shining shoes in downtown Pittsfield.
Joe graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1941 and graduated from Berkshire Preparatory School in 1942. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by Congressman Allen Treadway in 1944. While at Annapolis, he played tackle for the Navy football team, gaining notoriety for blocking punts against Michigan and North Carolina, scoring a touchdown against UNC in the same play. He graduated from the Academy as an ensign with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1948.
Joe went on to serve aboard the USS Spokane cruiser, the USS Worcester cruiser (during the Korean War), and the USS Wisconsin battleship. He attended the U.S. Naval Submarine School and subsequently served on the USS Spikefish submarine before being honorably discharged in 1954.
Joe graduated from Harvard Business School with a Master of Business Administration in 1956. He worked at a number of leading companies in a variety of roles over the next 14 years. It was a time of great growth for Joe, but that period of his life was most notable for the blessings it brought to him personally. In 1963, Joe met and married the love of his life, Teresa DeBartolomeo, in Taranto, Italy. The couple returned to the U.S. to start their life together and went on to have three wonderful children.
In 1970, Joe made another momentous decision, finally realizing that the person he really wanted to work for was himself. Embracing his entrepreneurial side, Joe opened his first Burger King restaurant in Somerville, Mass., which quickly became the highest grossing Burger King restaurant in the state. Thus, the Tage Corporation (an abbreviation of the Tagliente surname) was born. Throughout the next two decades, Joe grew the Burger King business, ultimately owning and operating a total of thirteen restaurants.
In 1989, Joe launched a successful independent hotel brand in Massachusetts, with the opening of the first Tage Inn in Milford, Mass. collaborating with his eldest son, Joseph Jr., he opened a second Tage Inn in Andover, Mass., and subsequently opened two more locations in Somerville, Mass., and Manchester, N.H. He also opened a full-service restaurant, The Gold Fork, in Franklin, Mass., in 1998.
At its height, Tage Corp. employed more than 300 people throughout New England. As an employer, Joe was a talented mentor who believed in supporting talent and promoting from within. He provided employees with countless opportunities to grow and build careers that might have eluded them in another company. As a result, his employees remained loyal, creating lifelong careers at Tage Corp. under his leadership.
Joe was a dedicated philanthropist throughout his life, supporting numerous charities including the Boys & Girls Club and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He was honored with many awards and honors for his entrepreneurship and community service, including St. Jude’s Distinguished Service Award (1980), citations from Governor Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts Governor’s Council, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives for distinguished service in support of community and charitable endeavors (1989), Citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives for work in community service in fire prevention (1990), Franchisee Award for Exemplary Achievement in Community Service from the Burger King Corporation (1991), and the Massachusetts Governor’s Council Resolution of Commendation for Outstanding Community Service (1993).
Outside of the time Joe dedicated to his business and philanthropic endeavors, he loved traveling the world, spending time with his children and grandchildren, playing golf, and regaling his family and friends with his favorite stories.
In June of 1998, Joe suffered a massive stroke. He lived valiantly for nine years following his illness, in the loving care of his wife, Teresa.
He is survived by his wife Teresa (DeBartolomeo) Tagliente; his children, Joseph Domenic Tagliente and his wife, Rosemarie, of Weston, Steven Anthony Tagliente of Boston, Maria Teresa Marshall and her husband, Bruce, of Irvine, California; his grandchildren, Joseph Matthew and Kristina Rose Tagliente of Weston, Amanda Francesca and Thomas Devereux Marshall; his siblings, George Tagliente and his late wife, Elaine, of Mashpee, Anthony Tagliente and his wife, Laura, of Seattle, and Mary Peabody and her late husband, Walter, of Malden; nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral at 9 a.m. Tuesday from The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street, Waltham followed by a Funeral Mass in Saint Julia’s Church, 374 Boston Post Road, Weston, at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Linwood Cemetery, Weston.
Visiting hours are 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Memorials in his name may be made to, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Colonel Daniel Marr Boys and Girls Club, 1135 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02125 Attn: Donations.
