Joe Guarnere 1938-2024

Joe Guarnere was a woodworker extraordinaire and a career craftsman. He worked professionally from the time he was a teenager until his late 70's when failing health forced him to retire. Joe was unusually perceptive when it came to mechanical things and he especially understood the laws of nature as it applied to building with wood. Whether it was a renovation, restoration, duplication or an innovation, Joe rarely turned down a professional challenge. He often worked alone, but when a job required Joe to collaborate he was always very considerate towards other tradesman. Joe used to say he never wanted to be the one who left a mistake for the next guy to have to fix. He loved to share his woodworking knowledge with others, but as Joe was often too busy with steady projects he never taught formally. Over the years, Joe did accept many invitations to teach special classes about his woodworking techniques and he enjoyed that immensely. It was always extremely important to Joe to build things in the right way so that they would stand the test of time. For him that was really the only way. The world has lost a very gifted, natural-born builder and a most wonderful man. Joe Guarnere will be sorely missed. Please help continue his legacy by contributing to Habitat For Humanity, a charity that Joe supported wholeheartedly because of its emphasis on teaching people how to build.