Joseph J. Alcamo, a retired cartographer for a state tax agency, died Wednesday at Country View Eldercare in Whiteford from complications of a series of strokes. He was 81 and lived in Baldwin.

He worked for 31 years for the state Department of Assessments and Taxation and retired as a senior map-maker for the department in 1985.

In earlier years, he had been a sheet-metal worker for the George H. Wahmann baking supply company on Greene Street in downtown Baltimore.

Born in Baltimore and raised on Aisquith Street, he was a graduate of St. James the Less parochial school and received a diploma from its commercial department in 1937. Until 1941, he studied sheet-metal design and fabrication at what is now Maryland Institute College of Art.

Family members said he enjoyed gardening and creating recipes.

During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces.

His wife of 30 years, the former Josephine Colianni, died in 1987.

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. today at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 13305 Long Green Pike, Hydes.

He is survived by a son, Vincent J. Alcamo of Ferndale; a daughter, Rita Reilly of Bel Air; two brothers, Anthony Alcamo of Bordentown, N.J., and Frank Alcamo of Middletown, Del.; a sister, Clara Kimbriel of Harlingen, Texas; and two granddaughters.