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Joseph William Springman, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, died peacefully on Oct. 3, 2026, at the age of 85. Joe was born in Altoona, to Germaine and Ruth (Westley) Springman. He was the eldest of four children, growing up with his sisters, Ruth and Rita, and his brother, Robert, in East Juniata and Holy Rosary Parish. He was a 1959 graduate of Altoona Catholic High School.
His life took him from the Altoona railroads to the worlds of nuclear engineering and finance. He enlisted in the Navy and ultimately graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He served as a nuclear engineer aboard fast attack submarines during the Cold War.
In 1970, Joe left the Navy and began a long career in finance with Connecticut General, later CIGNA. He retired as Senior Vice President of Real Estate Asset Management.
Joe married Mary Jane Shea in 1965. Together they built their life in Connecticut, first in East Granby and later in Simsbury. They shared a love of travel, reading, good food and community. Joe was a long-time volunteer with the Farmington Valley Watershed Association and the Simsbury Land Trust.
Joe was a voracious reader. As a child, he had once read an entire encyclopedia, and throughout his life, he remained a remarkable source of historical trivia. He loved discussing economic theory and policy, investing, current events and the stories he had accumulated from his Navy and professional careers.
He also had a practical side. Joe liked to stay busy with chores and repairs around the house and was mechanically inclined. He played golf and lunchtime basketball, coached his sons' soccer teams, and later refereed youth soccer. He loved classic rock and bluegrass and was forever making mixtapes for his commute. He sang in an adult choir. He served as navigator aboard a tall ship when Brian participated in a sailing program. He taught Andrew to play 12-bar blues on the piano. He taught both his sons the importance of taking care of the things they owned. He was also a master of smoking salmon.
Joe and Mary Jane especially loved traveling with their family and spending time with their grandchildren. They took their grandchildren to Disney, national parks and historic sites, delighted in birthdays and holidays, and were generous in making those occasions special.
After Mary Jane's death, Joe moved to Charlotte, N.C., to be near his sons and their families. Although his health was already declining, family remained at the center of his life. He continued to share regular meals with his children and grandchildren and cherished the time he had with them.
Joe is survived by his sons, Brian Springman and Andrew Springman; five grandchildren; and his sisters, Ruth Miller and Rita Ergler.
Joe's life was marked by adventure, curiosity, service, generosity, hard work and devotion to his family. He accomplished much in his professional life, but his greatest legacy is the family he loved and the values he quietly passed on to them.
He will be deeply missed.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Simsbury Land Trust.