Joseph Sclafani

Joseph Sclafani, 84, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Aug. 7 at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

“Joe,” as he was known, was born the first of three children to Antonio and Josephine Sclafani (nee Amplo), who lived in Brooklyn, New York’s East New York section. He grew up in a close-knit family surrounded by the values of hard work and self-reliance. He was the first in his extended family to graduate college as well as the first to earn an MBA. He also became a Certified Public Accountant.

As a youngster, Joe worked at his father’s produce business as a cashier and stock boy. He learned guitar at an early age and became a working musician by his teenage years, teaching guitar and joining a local doo-wop group called the Highlanders.

While performing at a school dance with the Highlanders, Joe met his future wife Vincenza “Jennifer” Sclafani (nee Guido). They were married for 62 years until his passing.

When he was in his twenties, Joe began reading about the then-new field of computer technology during his subway commutes. With little formal training, he taught himself computer programming and became part of the earliest wave of professionals applying computers to the finance industry. A decade later at the U.S. Department of Commerce, he would spearhead the implementation of federal financial systems, combining technical innovation with deep accounting expertise.

As a young accountant, Joe would sometimes allow barter payments when his clients had poor cash flow. In the early 1970s, he prepared taxes for an upstart Long Island meat company and accepted compensation in steaks -- much to the enjoyment of his extended family, who would often come by for cookouts.

In the late 1970s, Joe and Jennifer moved to Howard County, Maryland, where they lived for nearly 50 years. Howard County was where they raised their children, Tony, Jim, and Steve. All attended Trinity School in Ilchester, MD, where Joe and Jennifer became parishioners for the next four decades. During this time they helped organize the school’s May Festival and Joe became a deacon for Trinity’s Sunday services.

In the mid-1980s Joe founded the Consulting Group, one of the earliest software companies to develop financial systems to state and local governments. As one of the first software developers serving the public sector, he helped transform how government agencies managed their finances.

In the 1990s, Joe joined Oracle Corporation, where he spent nearly three decades as Director of Federal Civilian Agency Solutions. He retired — as he liked to joke — at the “ripe old age” of 83.

Throughout his career, Joe maintained a private CPA practice, often serving friends, family, and select clients. His ability to navigate complex tax challenges made him a trusted advisor.

Joe also enjoyed working on home improvement projects. Some of his bigger efforts included finishing a basement in the family’s first house and building an outdoor deck in the backyard of their Columbia, MD home.

In his later years, Joe spent a lot of time with his grandchildren, attending their sports games and school events.

Joe is survived by his wife Jennifer, his children Anthony, James, and Stephen; his daughters-in-law Jill and Emma, and seven grandchildren: Matthew Balan, and Jacob, Nicholas, Benjamin, Sofia, Ruby, and Lily Sclafani. He is also survived by his sister, Vita (Anthony) Leggio and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Antonio and Josephine Sclafani and sister Anna (James) Brendel.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mark Chapel, 30 Melvin Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228 on Friday, September 12, 2025, at 12:00pm. A lunch will follow at Matthew's 1600, 1600 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD 21228, from 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Directions from Saint Mark’s Church:

Head West on Frederick Road toward Ingleside Ave.

Matthew's 1600 will be about 0.6 miles ahead on the left, just past the Catonsville Fire Station.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Sibley Memorial Hospital’s Hospice Care.