Joe Belotti. (Courtesy photo)
Joseph P. Belotti Jr., known as “Joe” or “Sonny,” 77, and a resident of Harvard for 48 years, died June 21, 2026, after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born Oct. 3, 1948, at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Joe was the son of the late Joseph Belotti Sr. and the late Viola (Tocci) Belotti.
Joe was a member of the first graduating class of Xavier High School in Concord, in 1966. In 1970 Joe graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, and was a member of the Naval ROTC Unit.
Upon graduation from Holy Cross, he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy and was designated a naval aviator in 1971. In 1991, after 21 years of combined active duty and reserve service, Joe retired from the Navy as a commander (O-5). During that time, he earned his master’s degree in business administration from Western New England College in Springfield.
In 1977, Joe became an airline pilot for Braniff Airways where he worked for five years. He moved on to US Airways for 31 years, and finished off his career at JetBlue for three years where he was an aircraft delivery and maintenance test pilot.
Joe had a great sense of humor and in his free time he loved to perform, including both stand-up comedy and magic. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Joe retired from the airlines after 40 years in September 2017, logging over 30,000 flight hours during his civilian, military, and airline aviation career spanning almost 50 years.
During retirement Joe enjoyed spending time in Indiatlantic, Florida, and Machias, Maine, with his family, who he cared for deeply.
He is survived by his wife, Carole Lynne (Brooks) Belotti, with whom he celebrated 56 years of marriage on May 23, 2026. The two met at the young age of 15 and had been together over 60 years. In addition to his wife, Joe leaves behind his beloved children, Lynne (Belotti) Scales and her husband, Michael Scales, of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, and Joseph Belotti III of Littleton; and his three grandchildren: Winona Daw, Lindsey Daw, and Jonathan Belotti. He is also survived by his brother, Barry Belotti and his wife Sherry Belotti of Fitchburg, and his sister Frances Englehardt and her husband Walter Englehardt of Marietta, Georgia.
Visiting hours took place June 30 at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Bernard’s Church at Holy Family Parish, 12 Monument Square, Concord Wednesday, July 1. Burial followed with full U.S. Navy military honors at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord.