Joseph Gerard Troisi, Jr.

Joseph Gerard Troisi, Jr., 77 of Barboursville, WV, passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side on March 18, 2026. Born on February 20, 1949, in Brookyln, NY, Joseph was the second child and first son of the late Joseph G. Troisi, MD and Clarice (Lambert) Troisi. Joe and his four siblings grew up in a multigenerational, multifamily traditional Italian household. He was a member of his parish church, Our Lady of Refuge (Brooklyn, NY) and later St. John's Catholic Church (St. Marys, WV) and received a Jesuit education at Brooklyn Preparatory. In many ways Joe's life mirrored the Jesuit principles of academic excellence, critical thinking, social justice and service of others in pursuit of being a “complete” person. He excelled in Debate and Oratory/Extemporaneous speaking once stating, "The truth which is not eloquently communicated only adds to the desiccated domain of human ignorance. Only through articulate leadership can the truth become vivid and meaningful." Graduating in 1966, Joe was a recipient of a New York State Regents Scholarship and attended Columbia University in NY, NY. While at Columbia, he joined a fraternity and remained lifelong friends with many of his fraternity brothers. He graduated Columbia in 1970 then traveled out West eventually landing in Arizona and taking a teaching position at a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school on the Navajo Nation. He took classes in Navajo language immersion at a local college as well as a very brief attempt at a career in bull riding. Joe attended law school at The University of Denver Sturm College of Law and served on the Law Review. Upon graduating in 1976, his first position was a Legal Aid lawyer at South Dakota Indian Legal Services for the Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and Cheyenne River Reservations. He then became a Tribal Lawyer for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe concentrating on natural resource management by helping tribes utilize water rights pursuant to treaties and Supreme Court decisions by which tribes were found to have reserved use of water for development. With similar interests in tribal natural resources, Joe met Thomasine Hill in Tucson, AZ and married in 1979 in Crow Agency, MT. Joe moved his family to WV, where he had spent many summers while growing up on the Lambert family farm in Ellenboro, WV- his mother’s birth home. He began a family Oil and Gas venture eventually leading to private practice and settling in St. Marys, WV. In total Joe spent almost 50 years in law from legal aid, tribal attorney, private practice, public defender, assistant prosecuting attorney (Pleasants and Wood counties WV), Circuit Court Judge, and law clerk before retiring. In his most recent years, he and Thomasine enjoyed several recent trips out West and also moved to Lexington, KY then Barboursville, WV to be close to family. Joe followed his 3 grandsons’ football careers very closely and rarely missed games. Joe was an avid reader and eloquent writer who authored a number of poems and short stories he shared with close friends and family

Joe was preceded in death by his son, Dustin Joseph Troisi. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Thomasine (Hill) Troisi of Barboursville, WV, one child, Rebecca Troisi (Jermaine Keyes) of Ashland, KY, four siblings Gerardina Torres (George) of Vienna, WV, Ralph Troisi (Patricia) of Waverly, West Virginia, Gloria Larkin (Tim) of Bridgeport, CT, and Mary Troisi of Boston, MA, as well as 3 grandchildren who brought him tremendous joy and pride, Angelo Washington, Jaquez Keyes and Jermaine Keyes, Jr. At his request there will be no formal funeral but family with have a graveside service and celebration of life that will be conducted at a later date for the convenience of family. He will be laid to rest at the Ellenboro Cemetery (also known as Lambert Cemetery) in Ellenboro, West Virginia. With great love and gratitude, we will forever remember you, Dad.