Andrew Ayres; Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust:Information about Joseph Mirachi

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Joseph Mirachi (b. May 25, 1919, d. March 10, 1991)

Joseph Mirachi was born May 25, 1919 in New York City, NY, and died March 10, 1991 in Sparta, NJ. He married Jessie Ayres, daughter of Jesse Sylvester Ayres and Mary E Link.

Notes for Joseph Mirachi:
Obit: ( Publication date: March 15, 1991)
Joseph J Mirachi, 71, of Sparta; Was Cartoonist

A memorial service is scheduled in River Edge on Saturday for Joseph J Mirachi, whose cartoons and drawings fir the New Yorker magazine often reflected his interest in sports and outdoors. Mr Mirachi published almost 600 cartoons and drawings in the New Yorker magazine over the past 37 years. He died after a long illness.

Mr Mirachi's work also appeared in Playboy, the Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, Cosmopolitan, TV Guide, and the NY Times. He had a "painterly" approach to his work, said Editor Lee Lorenz, art editor for the New Yorker. "His approach, I think, grew out of his early interest in painting and as an illustrator....Joe took great pleasure in what he did." Mr Mirachi's work over the years reflected his love of Europeon cars, car racing, and the outdoors, as well as his interest in representing the working class. He liked to poke fun at greedy businessmen and often portrayed people in the barroom, said his son, Joseph Mirachi Jr. of Teaneck.

"He did a lot of things about gold- miners, people in saddles, and people coming out of the desert", said Michelle Ury, cartoon editor for Playboy.

Mr Mirachi grew up in a family of Italian immigrants in NY City and started drawing as a child. He served in the army during WW II, then graduated from the Art Students League in NY City in 1951.

Mr Mirachi started his career doing illustrations for detective and western stories and did many drawings for the NY Times in the 1950s. Some of his illustrations also appeared in the official souvenir guidebook to the 1962 World's Fair in NY City.

In 1981 Mirachi done a cartoon that appeared in the New Yorker, two men are standing in heaven. One man says to the other, "It's nice, but I do miss the World Series."

In addition to his son Joseph Jr, Mr Mirachi is survived by his sons Jon of Newton and Robert of Henderson, Nev, and a daughter, Mary Mc Millan of Henderson. He is also survived by three sisters, Mae Fallow. Emily Stewart, and Anne Pickham, all in California; two brothers, James in California and Charlie in Maryland, and four grandchildren.

A service will be held at 2:20 pm Saturday at Beaugard Funeral Home in River Edge. Visiting hours are Saturday from 1 to 2:30 pm. The cremation will be private.

Note:
Mr Mirachi was an avid hunter and ouotdoorsman. His children are still receiving royalities on his work.

More About Joseph Mirachi:
Burial: Unknown, Cremated.

Children of Joseph Mirachi and Jessie Ayres are: