Joseph Bernard Dato was born in Liverpool, England August 5, 1950 to Mary (Sweeney) and Samuel Joseph Dato. Joseph traveled to America with his mother, leaving Southampton, England October 9, 1951 and arriving in New York, New York October 17, 1951. The family settled at 1070 2^nd Street, Weirton, West Virginia. Eventually the family moved to Clearfield, Utah where Joe’s father and mother worked at Hill Air Force Base.

Joe has two brothers and one sister, Dominic P., Anthony, and Lorraine Dato. Joe attended Clearfield High, where he made many friends. After graduating from Clearfield High in 1968 Joe worked at the Main Exchange gas station on Hill Air Force Base while attending classes at Weber State University. Joe received a college scholarship from the Base Exchange to complete his education.

Upon college graduation he started his career working for the AFES, Air Force Exchange Service. His job took him overseas to Europe, Asia and Saudi Arabia. He married Ozlem Babac and they had two sons, Lorenzo and Alkim. Joe and Ozlem later divorced.  Joe was living in China when he first started to feel ill in August of 2005. He then retired and returned to the Layton area to search for a place to settle. After a time he eventually made his home in Navarre, Florida. As his symptoms worsened he continued to seek medical treatments, which ultimately lead him to return home to Utah once more.

In December of 2005, anticipating a liver transplant, he traveled to Utah, to be with his mother, Mary. During his admittance in the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, it was found out that his liver was cancerous and that it was terminal. About two weeks later he was admitted to the Davis Hospital in Layton, Utah where he passed away due to liver cancer. Joe’s funeral services were held at the Lindquist Mortuary with internment in the Lindquist Memorial Park, 1867 N. Fairfield Road, Layton, Utah.