For every birthday, holiday, or family celebration, Joseph Policelli could be counted to arrive with the dessert. Joe was a regular at Giovanni’s Italian Bakery in Worcester, where he often picked up assorted Italian cookies and a specialty yellow cake, laden with Italian cream frosting.

“He loved that bakery,’’ said his sister, Lorraine Mayne. “Every, every occasion we had, he would get a cake from there, and they were the most delicious cakes we have ever had.’’

“He had a special order,’’ said his younger brother, Rick Policelli. “These weren’t off-the-shelf cakes. He had to order them in advance. I would joke with him and say, ‘You are single-handedly keeping that bakery in business.’ ’’

Joe died from COVID-19 in April. He was 71.

Beyond his love of sharing sweets with his family, Joe’s greatest passion was music. For as long as his siblings could remember, music was everything to their brother. His love was first nurtured by their mother, who first taught him to play the piano.

“He was like her prize student,’’ Lorraine said.

He went on to study music at Boston University, where he earned a master’s degree in sacred music. During a 50-year career, Joe served as a music director and played the piano and organ at churches and places of worship across Massachusetts. When he wasn’t traveling from service to service, Joe was meeting with couples from around Boston, planning the music for their weddings.

“He was kind of married to the music,’’ Rick said. “He was just totally, 100 percent involved, committed to church music.’’

Joe loved to share his love of music, teaching students at choir schools around Boston without regard to experience or talent level.

One of his students at the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School wrote the family after Joe’s death.

“Even though I wasn’t very good at music theory, I remember the passion that Joe had teaching it. I wore his patience thin when he was trying to explain something to me for the second, third, or seventh time, but I wouldn’t be who I am today without Joe as my teacher.’’ Multiple letters echoed the sentiment, some from students he taught decades ago.

“I think he got great joy and satisfaction from his teaching career,’’ Lorraine said. “And sharing his knowledge and his love of music with other people as well.’’

Joe also worked as an adjunct professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he taught a popular music theory class. Affectionately known by students as “Joe P.,’’ he was renowned for his willingness to provide extra help outside class.

“He’d stay for hours after class and help them,’’ Lorraine said. “If they didn’t understand a concept, he would work with them until they got it.’’

When Joe’s niece toured WPI “she achieved something of a celebrity status,’’ Rick said. “A lot of the students were like, ‘Oh wow, you’re Joe P.’s niece?’’’

In February 2020, the family celebrated their mother’s birthday, gathering at Lorraine’s house in North Reading. It would be the last time they were all together.

As always, Joe brought the cake.

This story was written in partnership with Northeastern University’s School of Journalism.