Joseph Scotto, 81, passed away on August 5, 2020.  An epidemiologist in the commissioned corps of the National Institutes of Health and statistics teacher, Joe loved numbers and people.  He was preceded in death by his first wife, Joyce Scotto, and his parents, Giuseppe and Carmela.  Joe is survived by his wife, Barbara Brown Churchill Scotto; his siblings, Theresa Bracco and her late husband Thomas; and Sal Scotto and his wife, Agnes; daughters, Melina Scotto and husband Paul Mastin, Theresa and Keith Rosette, Gia and Tim McDaniel; son, Theodore Scotto, and stepson, David Churchill.  He is also survived by 9 grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, who will miss him dearly.

Joe was raised in Brooklyn, the son of Italian immigrants.  He was a math whiz and earned scholarships to NYU, Columbia University and later studied at Stanford. While still a young man, he lost his best friend to cancer, which led him to spend a career at the National Cancer Institute, where he applied his talent for statistics to the study of that disease.  Among his work, was non-melanoma skin cancer research and a systematic study of ultraviolet radiation in the US during the 1970s and 80s.

Joe’s head for numbers was matched by a heart for a good time.  Memories of family, friends, camping, parties, old Italian card games, good food, and song ring in our hearts when we think of Joe.  He also loved the ponies and spent many afternoons at the steeplechases in Maine, with his wife, Barbara, who loved traveling and exploring the world with him.

A small family funeral will take place at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore and burial service at Crownsville Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to one of his charities:

NCI Gift Fund to support cancer research and Camp Fantastic, week-long adventure for children ages 7 - 17 who are undergoing cancer treatment. https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/overview/contributing#1

Renaissance Equestrian Foundation is a retired thoroughbred sanctuary. https://www.refottb.org/

Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation supporting STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. https://www.bthsalumni.org/