Joseph Chinchilla, Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway

The Union is mourning the loss of our brother Joseph Chinchilla, a cage cashier at MGM Empire City Casino in Yonkers. Joseph is remembered as a funny, warm, and caring presence at work.

Divine Rapay, another cage cashier who worked closely with Joseph, remembers him as a beloved coworker and a great conversationalist. “My deepest sympathy to Joe’s family. His passing was a shock to all of us!,” she explained. “I enjoyed working with him so much. I’m going to miss talking to him, and I’m going to miss his hearty laugh. Rest In peace Joe!”

Union Delegate Steve Vitti, who was a close friend and coworker of Joe’s for 10 years, was also deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden loss. He explained at length what made Joe so special:

“I really enjoyed the time we spent together, either at work or socializing outside the job. Joe was always fun to be around. I enjoyed talking with him about current events and work related issues. He usually had a unique and insightful take on the things and I always liked hearing his opinion.”

“Joe was a very conscientious worker. He was meticulous about his job and got upset when things didn't go right. Joe liked to joke around and bust chops. Working with him made the day enjoyable and go by faster. Both of us being avid sports fans, we often talked about what was happening in the sports world and often razzed each other about our favorite teams. I am elated that he got to see his Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl last season and I will miss him asking me ‘who you got this week’ during the football season.”

“But Joe was much more than that. Joe cared very deeply for a lot of people. He was always concerned about his friends’ well being, be it their health or other issues, often putting them before his own. With his friends, he would always make sure to extend greetings and holiday wishes either in person or by text and he liked to exchange Christmas gifts. He cared for a lot of people even thought they might not have known it. His kidding around was often a cover for how much he cared about someone. He would often give me a ‘heads up' if he knew that something was going on with somebody (or a group of people) so that I could address the issue and make sure things worked out right for them, without them ever knowing.”

“I could share many more fond memories of Joe, but suffice to say, with his passing at such a young age we lost a great and caring person who had so much more to offer this world. I have still not fully processed how the world will be without him. I will miss him immensely.

My prayers and condolences go out to Joe's family. Rest in peace Joe.”

Joseph is survived by his mother and brother. The Union extends our deepest condolences to his family.