Joseph Albert Luciano, 83, of Rapid City died on Tuesday, February 1 ^st , 2022, at Monument Health Hospice House.

He was born on September 28, 1938 in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Albert and Anna (Scippa) Luciano.

Joseph grew up in a Jewish-Italian neighborhood in Bridgeport, Connecticut "with a matza ball in one hand and a meatball in the other".  His Catholic upbringing was especially important to him, and he served as an altar boy for many years.  He loved the Catholic mass spoken in Latin.  Joseph was a long-time member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rapid City.

Joseph graduated from Fairfield Prep Jesuit High School in 1956 and Fairfield University in 1960, where he loved accompanying the glee club on piano.

Joseph taught Biology and Chemistry at the New York City College of Applied Arts and Sciences and taught high school science in Mineola, New York.

Joseph married Marie Buzzetta on June 28, 1975 in Brooklyn, NY.  They lived in New York, Connecticut and South Dakota.

Although his love was of family, his passions were music, cooking and photography. Joseph had a jazz combo in New York where he played "gigs" in night clubs and wrote music.  He loved writing and sharing recipes and even adapted his kitchen to his style of "one-handed cooking" after a stroke immobilized his left arm in 2005.  He had a special appreciation for classic diners and always enjoyed a "bacon and egg on a hard roll" with a side of home fries.

Joseph was an enthusiastic fan of comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and was a member of the Sons of the Desert International Laurel & Hardy Society.

He is survived by his sons - Michael (and his wife, Eve) and Joseph (and his wife, Lori) of Rapid City, his daughters - Valerie and Alison, his four grandchildren, and his brother - Carmen Luciano.

A private family service will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, followed by internment in the Emmanuel Church Memorial Garden.

A memorial has been established to the Central High School Jazz Band. Checks are to be made to CHS Jazz Band and the note line should read "Memorial Joseph Luciano Sr."