Joseph A. Viau

Joseph A. Viau, husband of Ann Chamberlin Viau for 49 years. Born in New London, CT, on July 13, 1935, he was the son of the late Lewis F. and Sanches Viau. He was preceded in death by his sister Frances and twin brother John Viau.Father of seven children, Jo Ann and her husband Ted Beahm of Warwick, RI, Jeffrey, Joseph and Justin Viau of Los Angeles, CA, Jeannine Corry and her husband Paul of San Diego, CA, Jennifer and Juliane Viau of Newport, RI. He was the grandfather of five, Erin Condry and PFC Teddy Beahm, USMC, Ryan and Madison Corry and Kai Jacob Viau. He was the nephew of Helen Sanches and Eddie Sanches. He leaves several nieces and nephews.Joe passed away peacefully Thursday, September 20 with his wife and daughter by his side after a three year struggle with lung cancer.Besides his wife, children, grandchildren and family, Joe leaves behind quite a baseball legacy. If there was ever one person with such a fierce passion of a sport it was Joe and his ?love of the game? of baseball.Joe attended De La Salle Academy 1951-1954 where he was named to the 1954 All State Pitchers First Team. He spent one year with the Minor League Washington Senators and played in the Newport Sunset League from 1954-1966. Joe was an umpire for 19 years for New England Colleges and he was a Newport Sunset League and American Legion umpire for 21 years. He umpired 9 Babe Ruth World Series and was umpire in chief from 1967-1977 for Newport National Little League as well as umpire in chief from 1978-1986 for the Newport Babe Ruth. Joe?s real passion came as Coach Viau. Joe was known by many as just Coach. His coaching included the Head Baseball coach at Rogers High School from 2002-2006. He was assistant baseball coach at Rogers from 1992-2001 and most recently was named the 2005-2007 pitching coach of the traveling US Military All Stars based in San Diego, CA. His administrative duties throughout the years included the assistant RI State Commissioner of Babe Ruth from 1997-2007, Vice President of NE Umpire School 1995-1999, RI District 3 Commissioner 1993-2007, President of the Newport County Umpires 1993-2000. Joe was president of Newport Babe Ruth from 1988-1992, a member of the Newport Advisory Committee, Vice President of Newport Babe Ruth from 1999-2002 and was the Newport Gulls Baseball Camp Director in 2002. Joe was also the recipient of several awards throughout the years. Beginning in 1980, he received the Newport National Little League Award. In 1984 was named the Man of the Year in Babe Ruth Baseball, received the Warwick Umpires Association Award in 1992; in 2002 he was inducted into the City of Newport Sports Hall of Fame and in 2001 received the RI Baseball Coaches Association Award Ben Mondor Award as well at the RI Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Award. And in 2007 Joe received the RI Baseball Umpires Association Award Bill Cuniff Award. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, at 8:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00am in St. Joseph?s Church, Broadway, Newport.Burial will be in Newport Memorial Park, Middletown.Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 23, 2007, from 1-5pm and on Monday, September 24, 2007, from 4-8pm in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking to donate in Memory of Coach Viau to the Newport Babe Ruth Association, or to Rogers High School Athletic Department, Attn: Patricia Lentz, 15 Wickham Road, Newport, RI, 02840.