Joseph Pemberton Jr.

Joseph Pemberton Jr.

November 15, 1939 – October 3, 2026

Joseph Pemberton Jr., 86, passed away on October 3, 2026.

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Joseph was the son of the late Joseph A. Pemberton Sr. of New York City, New

York, and Mary G. Cabral of Fall River. During his early childhood, the family moved to Tiverton, Rhode Island, where

he was raised.

Joseph proudly served his country in both the Army National Guard and the United States Air Force from 1956 to

1958. During his military service, he earned recognition as a Sharpshooter and received commendations for bravery.

For more than 27 years, Joseph worked on the waterfront and in the commercial fishing industry. Throughout his

life, he also worked in construction and security, including positions with LVD Liquors and Peerless.

Known affectionately as "The King of Cribbage," Joseph spent more than 67 years mastering the game, earning

numerous awards and competition victories. As adults, his children Scott and Shawna became frequent cribbage

partners. He often joked, "It is like I'm playing myself!"

In his younger years, Joseph was an avid tennis player. From 1968 to 1976, he played semi-professional football for

the Varsity Club in Fairhaven. He also came from a family of accomplished boxers, including his brother Kenny, son

Scott, and grandson Jarel. Joseph himself compiled an impressive boxing record of 62 wins and 2 losses.

Joseph was a dedicated participant in the Normative Study of Aging, a landmark study examining how men age. He

participated for 58 years, remaining involved until the pandemic effectively brought the program to a close. Of the

approximately 2,300 original participants, only 300 remained at the end of the study, and Joseph was the final

participant from the New Bedford area.

Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mary Pemberton, and by his siblings, Elaine, Gordon,

Kenny, Warren, and Geraldine.

He is survived by his children:

• Scott A. Pemberton and spouse Margaret Sylvia of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts

• Shawna Pemberton of Irving, Texas

• Joseph Pemberton III and spouse Elizabeth Horn of Remsen, New York

He shared his children with his former wife, Nancy Ann (Soares) Pemberton, who passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada,

in 2016 after a 25-year battle with Stiff Person’s Syndrome.

Joseph also leaves behind several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many cherished friends,

including Hans Drape of Tiverton, Rhode Island; his cousin and "brother from another mother," Hank Moniz of

Halifax, Massachusetts; and former daughter-in-law Lisa Pemberton of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Continuing his lifelong commitment to helping others, Joseph enrolled in the Anatomical Gift Program at UMass

Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, with the hope that he could continue giving back through

medical education and research.

In accordance with his wishes, no funeral services will be held at this time. A Celebration of Life will be held in

November, near what would have been his 87th birthday. Additional details will be announced at a later date.