Joseph A. Knapp, 83, of Sweetwater, NJ, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 14, at AtlantiCare Hospital after a courageous two-year battle with liver cancer.

Born in Orange, NJ, Joe was the son of Andrew and Julia (née Kearney) Knapp. He was raised in nearby Livingston, where he attended St. Philomena’s Church and School before continuing his education at Seton Hall Preparatory School (Class of 1961) and Seton Hall University (Class of 1965) in South Orange. While at the Prep, Joe ran track and participated enthusiastically in intramural sports. A lifelong lover of music, he also sang doo-wop with The Four Roses. At the University, he studied business, participated in ROTC, and took part in mission work in Mexico and Honduras, building schools and forming lasting cross-cultural connections. Following graduation, Joe began his career in sales with American Foresight while proudly serving in the United States Army Reserves for four years. He later worked in the janitorial supply and wholesale industries before discovering his true passion in technology—particularly in speech recognition applications. Over the years, he was involved in several tech ventures, including Voxcera, Tradecorp of America, AccudataSys, and A Greater Town. Joe lived life with enthusiasm and curiosity. He enjoyed theater, traveling, movies, music, sports, dancing, current events, and engaging conversation. He also had a special fondness for attending tractor shows in Pennsylvania.

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Kelley Kline; his grandson, Christopher Kline; his sisters, Mary Ann Morrissey (Brian) and Kathy Pohl (John); his brother, Andrew “Drew” Knapp; his cherished fiancée, Connie (Loveland) String; his cousin, Maureen Kearney; and numerous other nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and business associates.

He was predeceased by his parents, Andrew and Julia Knapp, and his beloved wife, Diana (Kirkwood) Knapp.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe’s memory to Reel Recovery and Gilda’s Club—organizations in which Joe participated and that support individuals and families affected by cancer. Joe will be remembered by many for his warmth, curiosity, and the lasting bonds he made throughout his life.

A gathering of friends and family will be held June 7th, at Beacon Evangelical Free Church- 420 S 6th Ave, Galloway, NJ 08205 from 2pm-3pm with a service to begin at 3pm.