Fencing Victoria joins with the wider fencing community and the Fioretto Fencing Club in particular and with Joe's many friends, collegues and most of all, his Family in the sadness that the following news brings.
"It is with great sadness that I must announce the passing of our founder and friend, Maestro Joseph D’Onofrio. Having recently celebrated his 80th birthday he lost his battle with Motor Neuron Disease earlier today. There are not enough words to express our gratitude to him for his legacy of knowledge and passion for fencing, and the supreme belief that through studying the blade we come to a better understanding of ourselves.
Fencing helped him out of a troubled childhood and was very much the foundations on which he built the rest of his life. Even when he could no longer come into the club he lived from week to week on reports of club life, videos of our fencers’ exploits and lively discussions about strategies and philosophies of bouting. These moments always put a twinkle in his eye no matter how down he was feeling about his illness.
He will be sorely missed.
Sincerely,
Brook Dunstan,
President, Fioretto Fencing Club"
Last Modified on 06/11/2015 22:08