Joseph Orozco

was born Feb 20 1915 in San Diego, CA, he passed away peacefully at home on Sept 04 2011 in Hoopa, CA at the age of 96 and a half. He served in the US Army during World War II at the rank of Sergeant. He saw action in Germany, France and Italy. He received a Purple Heart for a knee wound. He volunteered in 1942 to 1946. He served as a Field Wire Chief 595 in the Central Europe Rhineland GO 40 WD 45. He also received awards and honors for WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct, European African Middle Eastern Campaign, and American Campaign. Joe retired from Crown Zellerbach in Antioch, CA in 1971 and later moved to Hoopa in 1979. He was a skilled craftsman from wood working, building construction, to beadwork. He was a Golden Glove Boxer in Oakland, CA, and a pretty hot baseball Second Baseman. He enjoyed storytelling, cross word puzzles, gardening, drawing, reading western, spy novels and anything about Native Americans. He was a big fan of the Oakland A's and the Raiders, he liked watching local softball games and he mostly enjoyed bowling. Joe and Lorna spent many days bowling in Eureka; lately he bowled on his Wii. He loved being a part of the Hoopa community. He and Lorna were very active with the Senior Center. He built the shelving for the former Nu-Tu-You thrift store operated by the Hoopa Senior Center (as well as thrift store shopping on the coast). He and Lorna enjoyed the Senior Center excursions to the coast and to Reno. Joe talked a lot about his younger days when he and his friends would sing under the lamp post in the evenings, looked for work in the Bay Area, and about all the people he met along the way. He always had a smile, a quick song, and a sense of calm about him. He is survived by his brother Henry Basil Orozco wife Beverly Orozco, son Joseph Russell Orozco wife Rhoby Cook, daughters Francis Gault and Evelyn Thomas husband Fred Thomas, his nieces Cecelia Orozco-Hirayama, Anna Orozco-Ensel husband Rich Ensel, Elizabeth Orozco, Marion Orozco-Martinez, Margaret Orozco-Solis, nephews Julius 'Butch' Orozco Jr, Andrew Orozco, Raymond Orozco, grandchildren Gianna Orozco, Joey Orozco, Kristen Kleiman, Tracey Thomas, Mary Jo Spears husband Michael Spears, Willie Gault wife Sarah Gault, Karen Gearhart, Gary Gault, Jennifer Jeha husband Jim Jeha, Christine Kawski husband Josh Kawski, Jaime Pike and Kazi Cook, 13 great-grandchildren, nine great great-grandchildren, and many grand and great nieces and nephews . He is proceeded in death by his wife Lorna Jenkins Orozco, mother Andrea Romero Orozco, step-father Guadalupe Orozco, brothers Emilio Orozco, Manuel Orozco, Michael Orozco, Julius Orozco, sister Mercedes Orozco and Carmen Orozco-Hines, his nephew David C Orozco, nieces Serena Perez and Rose Andrade, and grandson in-law Jeffrey Gearhart Sr. A memorial will be held Thursday September 29th 2011 11:00 am at the Church of the Mountains in Hoopa with a reception at the American Legion Hall. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Kim Yerton Memorial Library. He loved visiting our library. Please sign the guest book at www.Times-Standard.com, click obits.