Joseph James Agro

Joseph James (Joe) Agro, 78, of Sonoma, CA passed away peacefully on September 4, 2020, at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after a short and unexpected battle with cancer. 

Joe was born and raised in The Islands – Manhattan, Staten and Long - where he worked his way through school playing the saxophone around New York. He graduated from the Polytechnical Institute of NY and went on to the University of VA, where he earned his MBA and was elected to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. 

While he enjoyed a long and successful career as a Marketing and Sales executive with IBM, Computer Entry Systems (CES), and Software AG, NA, and was also a Board Member for MESCHI Corp, Software AG of North America, and Panini NA , he was, at heart, a musician. He was able to combine his management and marketing skills with his love of music by running jazz festivals and entertainment events, penning articles for music publications, co-authoring the book, Harold Jones – The Singer’s Drummer, working for the Monterey Jazz festival, and as Music Director for Radio Sausalito.  He played his saxophone in the Starduster Orchestra and with the Bossmen, where he managed both bands, in the Saxy Old Men Quartet of Marin, the  Danville, West County Winds, College of Marin, and St Helena Community bands and with the Sonoma State Woodwind Ensemble and the SSU Concert bands.

He served on the Boards of the Mountain Play and the American Institute of Wine and Food.

He is survived by his wife, Maggie, daughters Susan Agro Lanier of Atlanta, Nancy Agro and husband Geoff Craig of Durango, CO, grandchildren, Ethan Agro Craig and Andre Agro Craig, Avery and Logan Lanier, and his sister, Grace Agro Reidinger and husband Frank, of Raleigh, NC. He was predeceased by parents James Vincent and Lillian Sciara Agro.

Because of the Covid-19 mandate on social gatherings, a memorial will be held later.   

A special thank you to all the family and friends for their loving calls, notes, and support during his final days. He truly felt loved and comforted.

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