Joseph Walter Babich

Joseph (Joe) Walter Babich passed away on October 18, 2024, at the age of 72. He was with his beloved wife and partner for over 46 years, Debbie, and also with friends in a place that he loved, while participating in one of his favorite hobbies. His cards were very good that night, but God suddenly called him home.

Joe was born in Detroit on April 8,1952 to Joseph and Natalie Babich, and had two sisters, PJ and Pamela. He was musically gifted from a young age and played many instruments including the bass, electric guitar, brać and prim. His Dad told him that he had to learn to play only right-handed instruments, although he was a lefty, because they did not make left-handed instruments at the time.

As a student at Warren Mott High School, he participated in orchestra and jazz band and graduated in 1970. Joe earned his BA with a major in journalism at Wayne State University and spent years as a reporter and columnist for the Michigan Musician Magazine. He also worked for his Uncle Wally and cousin Milan at Glanz & Killian.

With both Croatian and Serbian familial roots, Joe participated in many activities at both Croatian and Serbian Clubs. Joe was one of the first members of the Svijezda Junior Tamburitzans, where he learned to play the tambura and was a very good kolo dancer. Joe joined Kolo Group Šumadija as a teen in 1968 and performed with the group in the former Yugoslavia in both 1975 and 1979. He was also a member of the Detroit Tamburitza Orchestra (DTO) playing bass and prim for over 40 years.

Music was always an integral part of Joe’s life. He was a member of a popular local Detroit band called “Take Five” for many years, playing bass guitar at clubs and weddings. His signature song was “Soul Man,” with both vocal and instrumental solos, and indeed, Joe was a real soul man. He played bass whenever needed in other Croatian and Serbian combos. And, he also cowrote and sang “Victor Dimić, King of the Wild Bar Room” upon request after rehearsals and dances.

The story would not be complete without highlighting the love story between Joe and Debbie. Debbie first laid eyes on Joe when she and her gal pals embarked on a road trip to Cleveland for a “Tamburitza Extravaganza” in 1975. They stopped to pick up Joe’s sister PJ for the ride, and Joe took the opportunity to come to the car to say “HI.” He had on a tank top with his big head of hair, and he was jive-talking! After all, it was the seventies. And after he left, Debbie said, “Who the H-E-double toothpicks was THAT?” She didn’t know at the time he had wanted to meet her since seeing her at the Croatian Club on 6 Mile Rd. But once Debbie eventually saw Joe in his tuxedo after a “Take Five” gig, she liked what she saw. She’ll never forget that first kiss at a Serbian basketball tournament, when he walked her to the elevator… and the screaming and laughing when the doors closed. They soon started dating and the rest is history.

Finally, in 1999, they wanted to beat the Y2K crash and decided to wed in Las Vegas during the Croatian Fraternal Union National Bowling Tourney. After winning big at Keno at The Monte Carlo, they had extra money to splurge at their Bellagio wedding. They had a lovely ceremony and reception attended by many family members and friends. And, they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

Joe and Debbie travelled extensively throughout the US…on road trips, on houseboats, camping trips, ski weekends, cruises, and of course, many weekend trips for festivals and extravaganzas. Wherever there was music, or their favorite orchestras or bands, they were there. If you could combine travel with music, all the better. In the summer of 2024, they were able to take their dream trip to Croatia, both by sea and by land, and made many more friends and memories together.

Joe survived both a silent heart attack, and then triple bypass surgery in recent years, but he remained very active. He even insisted the doctor schedule his bypass surgery after the DTO “Christmas in Croatia” celebration in 2018. That is how dedicated he was to DTO and his music. Debbie, Nurse Ratched as she called herself, nursed him back to better health and kept a watchful eye on him. When Debbie retired in 2022, they were able spend more time enjoying each other’s company taking leisurely walks at the Metroparks, going to Planet Fitness, playing cards and pickleball at the senior center, going to DSO concerts, watching Seinfeld and The Big Bang Theory, and basically doing just about anything and everything that their hearts desired at a moment’s notice.

Of course, our hearts desired more time with Joe, but it was not to be. We are very happy and grateful that he had a fulfilling life surrounded by music, time spent with the love of his life, and with those he cared most about in this world.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Visitation will take place at A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 32000 Schoenherr Road (at Masonic Blvd) in Warren on Sunday, October 27, from 4-8 pm; and on Monday, October 28, from 2- 9 pm with a music service at 7:30 pm. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 29; instate at 10:30 am until time of service at 11 am at St. Malachy Catholic Church, 14115 E. 14 Mile Road (between Schoenherr and Hayes) in Sterling Heights.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “Detroit Tamburitza Orchestra.”