Joseph Alessandroni, Jr., 89, of Overbrook Farms, who had thousands of clients as a Philadelphia lawyer, died Tuesday, February 28, 2006, of pneumonia at home. Born in West Philadelphia, Mr. Alessandroni graduated in 1934 from Friends Central High School, where he was remembered for pitching a no-hitter. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education fromContinue Reading
Joseph Alessandroni, Jr., 89, of Overbrook Farms, who had thousands of clients as a Philadelphia lawyer, died Tuesday, February 28, 2006, of pneumonia at home.
Born in West Philadelphia, Mr. Alessandroni graduated in 1934 from Friends Central High School, where he was remembered for pitching a no-hitter. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Villanova University in 1938 and a law degree from Temple University. He was the fifth member of the Alessandroni family to become a lawyer.
Before joining the Marines in 1942, he married Helen McSorley. The couple met on a bus going home from college-he from Villanova, she from Rosemont.
Even though he was a lawyer at the time, he saw action as an officer with an infantry unit in the South Pacific during WW II. He later served in Australia and Washington before being discharged in 1946 with the rank of major.
After the war, Mr. Alessandroni worked for 5 years for the Defender Assoc. in Phila. and went to bat for nearly 5, 000 indigent clients. He earned a few thousand dollars a year during that time. In 1951, Mr. Alessandroni started a general law practice in Center City. he said in a 1951 Inquirer profile that "the underdog will always have first call on his services."
His practice ended in the 1990’s, his family said.
Mr. Alessandroni and his wife raised 8 children in Overbrook Farms, where they renovated 4 Victorian houses, including a neo-Colonial mansion built for a Pa. Governor Robert Pattison.
In the 1970’s, they were among a group of volunteers who purchased the Green Hill Theater in Overbrook and converted it into a community center, the Green Hill Club. Mr. Alessandroni served a term as club president.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Alessandroni is survived by sons; Mark, Joseph III, Luke and John; daughters, Elaine Diamond, Marian Parrott, Nancy Carolan and Sally Downey, an Inquirer staff writer; a sister, 15 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Visitation Information
Date: Saturday, March 4, 2006
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
Address:
63rd St. & Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19151
Service Information
D’Anjolell Memorial Home of Broomall
Address:
2811 West Chester Pike Broomall, PA 19008
610-356-4200
Date: Saturday, March 4, 2006
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
Address:
63rd St. & Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19151
Cemetery Information
Date: Saturday, March 4, 2006
Holy Cross
Address:
626 Bailey Road Yeadon, PA 19050
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