Obituary of Joseph Hacker

Joseph Hacker, 87, of Nassau passed away on April 21, 2023, at Albany Medical Center.  Born in Albany, he was the son of the late Adam and Mary Hacker.  Joe was a Columbia High School graduate who went on to serve in the National Guard.  He spent close to 40 years as a Plant Operator at Troy Sand & Gravel before his retirement. He was a loving husband, father, and stepfather who was always willing to help anyone in need.  As a boy he taught kids in his neighborhood and friends to drive his Model T Tow Truck and later would teach his own children and grandchildren to drive while sitting on his lap. Joe was a racing enthusiast, building race cars that ran at Burden Lake and Pine Bowl, attended decades of seasons at Lebanon Valley, and seldom missing NASCAR on television.  He was very mechanically inclined and could fix anything you would put in front of him.  Joe enjoyed time spent on Knickerbocker Lake, trips to Cape Cod, snowmobiling, Ford custom van camping and metal detecting. 

Joe is survived by his wife of 49 years, Donna Ann Hacker and her former husband and Joe’s friend, Richard Ellers; his former wife and mother of his children Joan Broughton; daughters, Donna (Michael) Goodall, Dawne (Steven) Kelly, Denise Leggett (Louie Cardella) and son Joseph (Brenda) Hacker; stepson, Terry (Beth) Ellers; son-in-law Lenny Hiles; sister, Martha Rowe; brother, Thomas (Michele) Hacker; grandchildren, Erica and Joseph (Bekah) Hacker, Jr., John (Rachel) Leggett, Tiffany (Ed) Guida, Jennifer Ellers, Sarah (Chuck) Richards. He is also survived by eleven great grandchildren, Karleigh, Kenna, Adalie, Walter. Elise. Fredrick, Bella, Lani, Mika, Halley and Benjamin and one great-great grandson Kaden.  He was predeceased by his stepdaughters, Deborah Hiles and Susan Ellers; Susan’s partner Rebel Bridge; sister Bertha Rivers and grandson Steve Kelly Jr.

Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Thomas P. Mooney Funeral Home, 11 Elm St., Nassau on Tuesday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  A prayer will be offered at 12:00 p.m. followed by interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Nassau.