To Jason’s Deli founder, all were ‘like family’
Jason’s Deli founder and Beaumont native Joseph “Joe” Tortorice Jr. died Saturday after a 19month battle with cancer. He was 70.
Tortorice, the grandson of Italian immigrants, founded Jason’s Deli in 1976 and expanded the chain nationwide to more than 250 locations in 28 states.
“He has just a great story,” friend of Tortorice Jr. and former Lamar University President Jimmy Simmons said. “I had twin boys and he was their Little League coach. He was a dear friend and a terrific person.”
Salvatore Tortorice, Joe Jr.’s grandfather, came to America in 1895 through Ellis Island from Gibellina, Sicily. He made it to Beaumont and eventually opened New Turf Cafe in 1950.
One of his seven children, World War II U.S. Army vet Joe Sr., became industrious in his own right, opening four grocery stores, two laundromats, two dry cleaners and a sandwich shop, J’s BBQ and Washateria.
His son carried on his entrepreneurial talents.
Tony Tortorice said he knew his cousin was special at a young age.
“His character was impeccable,” he said. “As a child, I realized that. There are just those people you come across. Whether he was kin to me or not, I realized he was someone to look up to and want to emulate.” Another cousin, RC Tortorice, recalled their childhood together.
“We climbed trees together and got in trouble,” he said. “We had a very close, Catholic Italian family. He and I went to Kelly High School. I was a grade ahead of him. When I graduated, I went to A&M and the next year, he joined me.”
RC Tortorice said Joe’s college years at Texas A&M transformed him. Tortorice Jr. was a commanding officer in the Texas
A&M Corps of Cadets, a role that helped him learn leadership skills, his cousin said. He was elected outstanding freshman and sophomore in cadet battalion of 400 people and graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration in 1970.
“It had a big impact on him,” RC Tortorice said. “He was always a leader, but in a humble way. If you were talking to him, you would never know any of this. He wouldn’t tell you. He always wanted to give credit to anyone else. He was never flamboyant.”
While at Texas A&M, he met his wife, Shelley. They had two children together, a daughter, Ashley; and a son, Jay; the namesake of his chain.
He earned an MBA from
Lamar University. He then joined the U.S. Air Force for two years, earning the rank of second lieutenant.
He founded Jason’s Deli in 1976 and, in 1983, was named Outstanding Young Man of Beaumont.
Tortorice’s cousins said his faithful and conservative approach to life showed in the way he handled his company.
“He was very principled,” RC Tortorice said. “Family and faith were the most important things to him. That was how he ran his business. He treated employees like family. It didn’t matter if they swept floors or were a manger; they were treated like family.”
Jason’s Deli is still headquartered in Beaumont, with regional offices in Houston, Austin, Grand Prairie and Atlanta.
Some of Tortorice Jr.’s philanthropy involved giving to Catholic Charities and the MD Anderson Cancer Center, which helped several of his employees and their family members successfully battle cancer.
Henry Venta, former dean of Lamar University’s Business School, said Tortorice Jr. was always ready to listen. The two both participated in some Catholic retreats.
“I found him inspirational in many of the ways that he did things,” he said. “He was always interested in helping students and helping people.
“When we had Hurricane Humberto, I had a meeting scheduled with Mr. Tortorice at his office that morning for 9:30. At about 7 (a.m.), the wind had stopped and the sun had come out. Around 8:15, I called his office and not only was he there, they said ‘He’s here and waiting for you.’ That was the kind of dedication he had. He will surely be missed.”
Funeral arrangements are pending at Broussard’s on McFaddin Avenue.