Village loses ‘Mr. Ellenville’ Joseph P. Stoeckeler
Ellenville Village Manager Joseph P. Stoeckeler Jr., who was long active in local Democratic politics and had served as a village trustee, Wawarsing town supervisor, and Ulster County legislator, died suddenly Saturday afternoon, according to the Ellenville Police Department.
“Joe was truly Mr. Ellenville,” village Police Chief Phillip S. Mattracion said in a statement posted on the police department’s Facebook page. “He loved this community and worked around the clock to ensure it would stay on course.”
Stoeckeler, who was born in Kingston in 1960, had served as village manager for the past five years. He served as a member of the Ulster County Legislature from 2004 through 2011 and was Wawarsing town supervisor from 1990 through 1993 and 1998 through 2000. Previously, he had served as a village trustee.
Stoeckeler also waged an unsuccessfully campaign to unseat longtime state Sen. Charles Cook in the 40th Senate District in 1994. He ran a real estate business, Stoeckeler Real Estate, on Main Street in the village.
He was the son-in-law of retired Ellenville Police Chief George Sheeley and his wife, retired Ellenville Village Manager and Ulster County Legislator Mary Sheeley. He is survived by his wife, the former Theresa Sheeley, a longtime Ellenville Central School District psychologist.
Ellenville Mayor Jeff Kaplan said Sunday that learning of Stoeckeler’s death was “a tremendous shock to the system.”
“I was with him working on a village matter Saturday morning,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan said he received a report Saturday afternoon that Stoeckeler was in “coronary distress.”
“He was well liked by everybody,” Kaplan said. “I don’t think he had any enemies throughout his whole political career, which is unusual. Joe was a really good friend, a great village manager. It’s a tremendous loss for the community. He’s irreplaceable.”
Kaplan said he was serving as town attorney for the town of Wawarsing when he first worked with Stoeckeler, then serving as town supervisor in the early
1990s.
“He was a very unusual as a person working in a municipality — he was the ultimate closer,” Kaplan said. “When there was a projected issue on the table, he worked very hard at closing it.”
Kaplan recalled that after they had a Village Board meeting on a Monday night, he’d get a call from Stoeckeler the next morning at 10 a.m., inquiring if all the of the items on the agenda had been taken care of.
“This is totally incredible for someone working in municipal government,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan noted that Stoeckeler had just lost his father, Joseph P. Stoeckeler Sr., last November. The elder Stoeckeler had also been long active in the community.
The mayor said Stoecker’s father’s death may have added to his stress.
“He will be sorely missed,” Kaplan said.
Mattracion said he had known Stoeckeler both professionally and personally for the past 30 years.
“If I was ever asked who would I say best defined this village, it would unequivocally be, without a doubt, Joe,” Mattraction said. “He was, and in my mind, will always be, the driving force to make this community and the surrounding area a success.
“He had a vision for this community, to place us back on the map, to the times when the Catskills were the jewels and envy of all other places,” the police chief said. “He would give you the shirt of his back if you needed it; he was champion for the underdog.”
But more than anything, he loved his family and especially his wife, Mattracion added.
“She was his rock, and those that knew them like I did, would tell you that they gave great balance to each other, they were and will forever be the definition of
Ying and Yang,” Mattracion said. “It’s truly a sad day for this community — Joe and his wife Theresa gave so much to so many, and did so behind the scenes, which is the way they loved to do it.”
“Joe has dedicated his life to community and helping people throughout his career,” Elliott Auerbach, the outgoing Ulster County comptroller and former village manager, said via text message. “He started as a village trustee and went on to become the town of Wawarsing supervisor, and then an Ulster County legislator, always putting the needs of his community first.
“Professionally, he extended a helping hand to those in need when he worked as a member of the executive team at both Veritas Villa and the Ellenville Regional Hospital,” Auerbach said. “I have lost a friend and colleague who is irreplaceable. Needless to say, my heart hurts for his family and for everyone whose life he touched.”
A wake is planned from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Loucks Funeral Home, 79 N. Main St., Ellenville. A public funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at The Church of St. Mary and St. Andrew, 137 S. Main St., Ellenville.