Joe was born on June 20, 1945 at Victory Memorial Hospital in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. He attended St. Ephraim's elementary school through the 4th grade at which time his parents moved to Bethpage, Long Island. Shortly before his eleventh birthday he met the love of his life, Barbara, when she moved into the same Bethpage neighborhood. Although they quickly became friends and playmates, they eventually drifted apart during those awkward years. They began dating in November 1962 when Joe was a senior and Barbara a junior at Bethpage High School. After graduating in 1963, Joe went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1967 where he was a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. During those college years their relationship grew and, on September 23, 1967, Joe and Barbara were married at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Hicksville.

After their honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains, Joe and Barbara moved into a furnished apartment in Albany, New York where Joe worked as a Systems Engineer for IBM. In July 1970, Joe left IBM to work as a systems analyst for Lufthansa German Airlines in New York City. Joe and Barbara, then expecting their first child, moved into an apartment in Farmingdale where Gina Marie, now Mrs. Nicolas Carson, was born in October 1970. In 1971, Joe and Barbara bought the house they currently live in on Joseph Avenue in Bethpage. Their second daughter, Julie Marie, now Mrs. Ryan Trimble, was born in June 1972. Their son, Joseph Jr., who graduated this past May with a degree in Elementary Education from SUNY-Old Westbury, was born in April 1976 and Jenny, their "special angel", was born in April 1983. After thirty years, Joe still works for a Lufthansa subsidiary, Lufthansa Systems, in East Meadow as a project manager. At Lufthansa Joe was a founding member of both the Lufthansa Bowling League and the Lufthansa Golf Club. He served as president of the golf club for three years and has been an officer in the bowling league for twenty-eight consecutive years.

After making a Marriage Encounter weekend in 1973, Joe and Barbara became very active in their parish, St. Martin of Tours. They taught CCD for several years and have been actively working the In-home Pre-Cana program since 1977, serving for a while as parish co-ordinators for the program. Joe worked on the parish bazaar each year of its existence and is currently serving in his eighth year as a Minister of the Word (Lector). Barbara has been a Eucharistic Minister for more than a nineteen years.

Joe joined Memorare Council when asked by a friend at Lufthansa, PGK Dennis Glander, in January 1993. Two years later he was asked to become part of the team of officers. Since then, he has served as Outside Guard, Advocate, Recorder, Chancellor and Deputy Grand Knight prior to his election as Grand Knight.

At Memorare, Joe has been an active member of the Golf Club and served for five years as a volunteer bartender. He has chaired the Council Christmas party for two years, has served as ticket chairman for numerous events (Italian Night, St. Patrick's Night, Council Picnic, Big Band Dance) and has developed and chaired the Husband-Wife Golf Social for the past three years. He has been an active worker at numerous other council events such as the Children's Christmas Party, the Holiday Food Baskets, Las Vegas Night, the Prom for Handicapped Children and many Super Walks for Children with Down Syndrome. Joe made his Fourth Degree in 1998 and recently joined the Alhambra.

When asked by a friend to describe what the Knights of Columbus do, Joe answered very succinctly, "we raise money for worthy charities and have fun doing it while publicly standing in firm support of our God, our Church and our country." Joe asks every brother Knight and sister Columbiette for their cooperation, support and prayers. With the grace of God, the intercession of Mary the Patroness of Memorare, the prayers of St. Joseph the Worker and the tireless efforts of our outstanding membership, Joe pledges that his administration will continue to foster the ideals of Columbianism and will strive to keep Memorare Council the best in the Order.

Memorare Council congratulates Grand Knight Joseph V. Pace on his election and wishes him and his team of officers a very successful year.