Joseph Russell Carrow

Joseph Russell Carrow passed away January 9, 2017 at age 89 after a hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Joe was born September 21, 1927 in Clare, MI to Aaron and Ellen Carrow and was the youngest of six children (Nelson, Wallace, Norma, Norris, Doris and Joe). He was the only one born in a hospital and not the stone farm house on Tobacco Road in which they lived and the only one to complete college. After graduating from Beaverton School, Joe put himself through college working at a newspaper and in 1951 graduated with a degree in Journalism from Michigan State. He joined the Army in 1952 and served in Japan during the Korean Conflict and worked in Germany two years interviewing people applying for visas to immigrate to the United States. After serving abroad and in the reserves, Joe was honorably discharged at the rank of Corporal in 1960. He met his wife, Yonda Lea Johnson, in 1957 at an office Christmas party at Northrop and on June 5, 1959 they were married in her home town of Ogden, UT. That same year, Joe began working at McDonnell Douglas, where he remained for 37 years until retiring as Director of Security in 1996. In 1966, Joe and Yonda sold their home in Torrance, CA and moved to Huntington Beach, CA where they raised three children in their Meredith Gardens home of more than 50 years. Joe loved reading, writing, photography, golf, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Joe and Yonda are members of the The Crossing Church in Costa Mesa where they have attended and volunteered for years. He is survived by his loving wife and care giver, Yonda, children Kim (and Frank) Gomi, Greg (and Laura) Carrow, Kristin (and Tyler) Hanson and eight wonderful grandchildren. Joe will be laid to rest at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Del Mar, CA on January 28, 2017 at 10:00 AM followed by a Celebration of Life at Cost Mesa Country Club. Heaven has a new angel who will be missed.