Joe R. Heath

Lila’s loving husband Joe passed away unexpectedly on Saturday morning August 13th, 2016 due to an infection that proved too strong for the old Marine, and too much for modern medicine. He was our adventuring and hardworking Dad and supportive Grampa, your accepting father in law, a big brother and a brother in law, a friend and a patriot. Recently, he was the hard of hearing, fast driving scooter terror of the 4th floor at Merrill Gardens Retirement Center. And so he ended as he lived – in a relative whirlwind, enjoying speed (his scooter always turned up to “rabbit”) even as his legs slowed down.

But those legs, that mind, his restless spirit! Slow near the end, yet so dynamic as he moved through life, the impact of the seeds he planted will carry on in the lives left behind; his urge to travel, his curiosity; his love affair with the outdoors. Born in Goodwell, Oklahoma, raised in Emporia, Kansas, shipped to Korea and back safely by the Marine Corps. All throughout his life he would plant his family, then uproot them to Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Washington.

Partly motivated by new jobs, challenges and technologies, he was probably pulled more by uncaught fish in wild streams and forest valleys hiding deer, elk and bear. We grew up in some of the most beautiful country in the US.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lila, who swears they never went to bed angry. There are four living children Don, Sharon, Brian, and Jeri, and one daughter, Teri, REALLY LIVING in Heaven. Joe is grandsire eleven times over: Sarah, Aaron, Eric, Michelle, Ben, Molly, Daniel, Andrew, Emily, David, and Jennifer. To date he has 6.92 great grandchildren: Kaida, Aiden, Brayan, Ryan, Nora and Zoey (With Bridgette Felicity, the .92 still baking in Chicago). And Counting.