Joe was born in Brownsville, Tx. on October 13, 1927 and was the son of the late Henry James Klahn (b 1889) and Francisca Garza Klahn (b 1892).
Joe served in the army during World War II under General Douglas McArthur.
While living in Brownsville he met and married Maria Concepcion (Chita) Cisneros. Together they had five children. Joe Jr., Robert (Esther), James (Rhonda), Sarah Waldron (Jeff), and Roxanna Klahn Gipson, and celebrated 66 years of marriage.
They moved to Beaumont in 1964 where he worked as a stevedore agent and raised his family. They moved to Galveston in 2007 when he retired.
Joe was preceded in death by his sisters, Anna Zarate (Reynaldo), Delores Leando (Alfonso), Margaret Rodriquez (Jose), Sarah Hidalgo (Boris), and his brother Sabas (Concepcion).
He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was the grandson of Henry James Klahn who founded the Brownsville Police Force and became the first Brownsville Chief of Police.
