Joseph A. Imbrogulio ’47

Joe served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Returning to Princeton, he graduated in 1948 and soon married Mary Lou Zeiler. He earned a Harvard MBA in 1954.

Joe’s father was an Italian immigrant who instilled in his son three enduring values: hard work, service to others, and education.

Joe’s business career began with employment as a manager in several department stores, and then with service for many years with Strouds, a retail chain in California. As senior vice president in charge of planning and operations, he participated in the expansion of the firm to include 65 stores.

Joe’s service to others meant extending unstinting love and help to those in distress — from using his business skills to performing mundane household chores.

He taught his children the value of learning by contributing to their education and to the realization of the dreams it produced. He cherished his own education at Princeton — often recounting tales of his undergraduate experiences, including his courtship of Mary Lou. They often visited the “best old place of all,” and they witnessed the graduation of their daughter, Lisa Imbrogulio Post ’81.

Joe died Dec. 6, 2007. Celebrating his loyalty to our class and his wonderful legacy, we extend warm wishes to Mary Lou, their three children, and four grandchildren.