Joseph "Joe" Zein

Joseph (Joe) Zein was a fighter, it seemed like something he did his whole life, either fighting for success in business, as a soldier in the Vietnam War, for the prosperity of his family, and through cancer that left him frail. Unfortunately, he could not win this round of cancer although he tried his best.  However, it is with this spirit that made Joe a motivational and inspirational man to be around.

Within a month of Joe and Sally’s wedding day on August 27, 1965, Joe was sent to fight for his country in Vietnam.  He was part of an Engineering Corp. that would build infrastructure such as bridges before our fighting soldiers could get there to be transported into battle.  Joe’s daily job was a clerk and was beloved by others for his charisma and dedication.  Being a Vietnam Veteran left an impression on him that influenced him for the rest of his life.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on July 16, 1942 where he met and married his wife of 56 years. The adventures that Joe and Sally shared often seemed unreal but Sally always confirmed their authenticity.  Joe’s happy place was eating at restaurants and being at get-togethers with family and friends where he made sure everyone was well fed.  Moreover, he loved talking and being with his wife Sally, 3 daughters, and sons-in-laws, Monica & Jeff Goldstein, Rebecca & Michael Coffman, and Jessica & David Miller and his beloved 8 grandchildren: Sheldon (16), Cedar (13) & Riyler (11) Coffman; Aubrie (14), Molly (12), & Rosa (3) Miller; and Jeremy (13) and Micah (10) Goldstein.

He enjoyed building up companies he owned, following the growth of others, and making an effort to know many local CEOs of companies that he had a personal interest in.  Always the entrepreneur, often ahead of his time, he started his first business at 16 selling automated pin-setters to bowling alleys, then venturing into photo calendars and biorhythms (prior to the digital age mind you), and then at 22 bringing his business, Zeinitron, public.  In the 80’s, Joe had data centers, sold mainframe recovery, and started with Sally HOST-100, a disaster recovery software and consulting firm. Business was his passion and family was his pleasure and; Joe had the gift of combining the two.  In 1995, he co-founded CAPS Alternate Sites with his daughter Monica then bringing in Sally in 1997, starting RecoveryPlanner in 1999 and having both his daughters, Rebecca and Jessica, and two sons-in-law, Dave and Jeff joined the business.

Many know Joe as a generous, sympathetic, and thoughtful man and in this respect the family welcomes any donations to be sent to the following organizations dear to Joe’s heart:

Wounded Warriors:  SUPPORT FOR AMERICA’S TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES https://secure.uso.org/OM_RGR/
St. Joseph’s Indian School:  Aids every aspect of each Lakota child’s physical, emotional, spiritual and educational needs  https://www.stjo.org/

Joe’s legacy includes a family who loved him, businesses that are still helping companies today and an imprint on many people, from being a mentor and supporter, to his generous ways, to being a kind and charming guy.  This quote from a partner of one of his businesses captures some of the legacy Joe leaves many with: “I can say with certainty that Joe was the most important person in my professional life and, consequently, in my personal life as well.  I will be forever grateful to Joe for the trust he put in me . . . “.  We love and will miss you - Joe, Dad, Papa Joe, Uncle Joe.

The burial service will be held Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the State Veteran’s Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown, CT.  The family will then return to the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield for a memorial service at 12 Noon.