Joseph Robert Kapsch

Joe was born at Great Lakes Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois into a Marine Corps family. His father’s service took them across the country from California to North Carolina. The Kapsch family settled in Santa Ana, California where Joe attended elementary school at Holy Family Catholic School and graduated from Mater Dei High School. Joe received a bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation from San Diego State University. Go Aztecs!

After graduation, Joe joined the U.S. Forest Service, his dream job, and spent two years as a firefighter. While Joe enjoyed being a firefighter, what he loved most was the camaraderie of his team, the Fulton Hotshots. After leaving the U.S. Forest Service, Joe met his future wife, Marilyn Hamrlik, in San Diego. Joe and Marilyn were married in 1980. Joe went on to work for several photo finishing companies in upper management, taking the family coast to coast, stopping in Texas and Missouri before ultimately retiring in North Carolina.

Joe was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at 40 years old. His family lovingly supported him as he spent the next 30 years fighting the symptoms of this insidious disease. It was a long, hard fight, and he is now at peace.

Joe was one of a kind. He was a loyal, compassionate and reliable companion. He was a present and loving father. He was a supportive and silly “Jody” to his granddaughters. He was quick to make a new friend and taught his children how to maintain old friendships. He was genuinely interested in the lives of the people around him; he was the ultimate friend. Joe's quick wit and sense of humor brightened all of our lives and will be sorely missed.

Joe is survived by his wife, Marilyn; their daughter, Amy DeCenso (Nick) of Cary, NC and his son, Christopher Kapsch (Holly Kamm) of Raleigh, NC; granddaughters Stella DeCenso and Violet DeCenso; sisters Kathleen Hoyt (the late Chip Hoyt) and Mary Robinson (John Robinson). Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Francesjane Kapsch and his grandmother, Lottie Jane O'Neill.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P. O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

A funeral Mass will be held at Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, located at 804 High House Road, Cary, NC on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. Afterwards, all are welcome to come join the family at The Matthews House, located at 317 West Chatham Street, Cary, NC for a celebration of Joe's life at 1:00 p.m.

Memorial tributes and messages of sympathy can be left by clicking the "Add a Memory" box below. Brown Wynne of Cary is honored to serve the Kapsch family.