John J. Moschetta Jr., 81, of Fredericktown, Pa., a familiar face at the Meadows for many years, passed away peacefully with family members present at 9 a.m. on Friday, October 23, 2020 at UPMC Mercy Hospital.
While Moschetta followed in his father's footsteps to make lawyering his vocation, his avocation was his love of horses. Not only licensed to practice law, he was also a licensed harness racing driver, with a unique and remarkably diverse combination of education, training, and skills. He owned, bred, trained, and drove horses at the Meadows and his horses raced at various other tracks in New Jersey and New York. He made many lifelong friends among horse lovers at the Meadows and elsewhere.
Born June 1, 1939, in Brownsville, Pa., Moschetta was the namesake, devoted, and proud son of the late John J. and Elizabeth Paoly Moschetta of Fredericktown.
Family was the centre of John's existence. John is survived by his loving and loyal wife of 59 years, Barbara Margetich Moschetta; four children, John J. Moschetta, III (Rainey), Jeffrey Moschetta, Jacqueline Moschetta-Warren (Chad), and Jerred Moschetta (Twyla); four grandchildren, Nicholas Moschetta (Molly), Morgan Moschetta (fianc Brandon Pelosi), Roman Moschetta, and Rosalind Moschetta; three step-grandchildren, Rein Marshall, Haile Frank, and Laila Sylvester; and a great-granddaughter, Ryan Leigh Pelosi. Also surviving are three brothers, Joseph P. Moschetta (Judy), James A. Moschetta (Kathy), C. Jerome Moschetta (Elizabeth D.); two sisters, Janet Moschetta Bell (John) and Jean M. Winfree (Ben); many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Moschetta, a Roman Catholic, was a member of St. Katherine Drexel Parish, (formerly St. Michael the Archangel of Fredericktown), and enjoyed noonday masses with his beloved daughter, Jacqueline Moschetta-Warren, at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington, Pa.
Moschetta Jr. attended the Bethlehem Joint Schools in Fredericktown prior to graduating from the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was also a graduate of Waynesburg College and the West Virginia University College of Law. He became a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and West Virginia Bar in 1969.
During his early professional years, Moschetta was a juvenile prosecutor under Washington County District Attorney Jess D. Costa, and a solicitor for Washington County Comptroller Frank A. Mascara. As a general practitioner of law in Washington County, Moschetta represented thousands of coal miners in their workers compensation cases, many involving black lung disease. He handled social security, personal injury, and estate work as well.
A man of the people, Moschetta spent his career representing working men and women. John was an approachable, caring, affable person, who gave legal advice and counsel to many, free of charge, long before it was known as pro bono work.
In addition to being an accomplished horseman, Moschetta was an avid, active, and skilled sportsman. He embarked on deep-sea fishing trips from the coast of Florida and from Key West. He made many fly-fishing trips to Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. Locally, he was a keen deer hunter, and he also travelled to Canada for bear hunting. He shared his love of hunting and fishing with his sons, son-in-law, grandson, nephews, and cousins, often taking them on fishing and hunting trips to the western United States and Canada. He especially enjoyed delighting people with his many humorous stories about these trips. He travelled the United States of America 'from sea to shining sea,' sharing his love of nature and country with family and friends along the way.
He was a music lover, and he was known to drive, with windows down and opera recordings blasting, into the Meadows to train his horses. Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli were two of his favourites. John himself was an accomplished trumpet player in his youth, and regularly played taps for memorial services at local cemeteries. A natural and colourful raconteur, never at a loss for words, he entertained all those within his scope of daily life with a deep, endless trove of wonderful stories.
One of Moschetta's most enduring and humanistic qualities was his ability to champion those he loved in times of medical crisis. Many grateful people have been the beneficiaries of his unrelenting advocacy, knowledge, commitment, generous spirit, and warm heart. He did not give up on people he cared about, ever.
Friends were received from 2 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, and will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, at the Greenlee Funeral Home, 42 Bank Street at Crawford Road, Fredericktown, PA. Private Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, October 29.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Washington City Mission, 84 W. Wheeling Street, Washington, PA 15301 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of John Moschetta Jr.
(Harnessracing.com)