Joseph William Dilbert Sr.

He leaves his wife of 65 years, Nehemiah (Faircloth) Dilbert; his eight children, Mary Anne Sorg, Joseph W. Dilbert, Jr., Thomas Dilbert, Linda Finney, Robert Dilbert, Catherine McFarland, Jeffery Dilbert, and Lisa Elfers; his sixteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren; and his sister Mary Miller.

Joe was born and raised in Lockland, the son of Frank and Felicia (Greco) Dilbert, whose grandparents came to America from Sicily at the turn of the century. Joe and his wife raised their family in Reading.

In his early years, “Joe” Dilbert attended parochial school, was an altar boy, patrol boy, and student of violin and piano. After graduating from Reading High School in 1941, he volunteered for the Marine Corps where he served in campaigns throughout the Pacific Theater in World War II. He met his wife, “Nehi” Faircloth while awaiting discharge in Savannah after the war. They were married there in 1945, and he returned to Ohio with his new bride to begin their family in Reading.

Joe worked at the Fisher Body Plant in Norwood, became a store manager with Kroger groceries, and subsequently took a job at Stearns and Fosters in Lockland where he eventually retired as a Night-Shift Supervisor. He took great pride in providing for his wife and growing family, and took part-time work over those years as well. Upon retiring, he and Nehi moved to her childhood home of Telogia in the Florida Panhandle where they spent over twenty years in active retirement. His kindly manner spawned many friendships there among his new Southern family.

Joe had a talent and passion for photography and leaves behind many wonderful images that he captured of his family and the natural world around him, both of which he loved dearly. His other passion was fishing, but he never fished alone: his wife, and all of his children, girls and boys alike, shared in those regular outings.

Joe resided at Mason Health Care Center for the past two years since moving back from Florida to be with family. He often expressed his sincerest appreciation to the staff there for their compassion and commitment to helping him in his battle with Parkinson’s and Diabetes.

Please consider donations in lieu of flowers to the National Parkinson’s Foundation or the American Diabetes Association.

A funeral service will be held on March 9th at 12 Noon at Schmidt Dhonau Kucner Funeral Home of Reading, where friends may call from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the Funeral Service. A private burial will follow at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery, the resting place of his parents and his brother, Anthony Dilbert.

Joseph William Dilbert: Family Man, Patriot, Friend. You live on in your loved ones, and you will never be forgotten.