A private family service will take place at a later date.
He was a retired School District 51 teacher and administrator of 35 years’ experience.
Survivors include two daughters, Sarah Ross and Ellen O’Hara; four sons, Joe, Pat, David and Robert; one sister, Mary Jane Grissom; and 10 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to HopeWest, 3090B North 12th St., Grand Junction 81506.
Joseph Peter O'Hara, Jr.
August 29, 1922 - March 23, 2017
Joseph Peter O'Hara, Jr., 94, died at HopeWest Hospice in Grand Junction.
Joe was born in Chattanooga, TN, the son of Joseph Peter O'Hara of Bridgeport, CT and Sarah Jane Stancel of Chattanooga and the older brother of Mary Jane O'Hara Grissom, who survives him. Joe grew up on the Fort Oglethorpe, GA Army post where his father was a Regimental Sergeant Major with the Sixth Cavalry. After graduating from Central High School in Chattanooga in 1940, he attended McKenzie Business College and worked at the Quartermaster's office at Fort Oglethorpe.
In June 1942, Joe enlisted in the United States Army. He graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Riley, KS in February 1943 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. After further training, he was shipped to North Africa then Italy where he served in Troop A of the 91st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.
In March 1945, Joe matriculated at the University of South Carolina where he was president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology. He then accepted a teaching position at the high school in Booneville, AR. It was there he met his wife, Betty Jo Griffey, a Booneville native and fellow teacher. They were married September 1, 1950, at the First United Methodist Church in Booneville. After receiving his Master's of Science degree in Education Administration at the University of Arkansas, Joe and Betty moved to Grand Junction in September 1952 where he became a teacher with School District 51.
Joe started his 35 year career as a Driver's Education Instructor, taught history at Fruita High, was the Assistant Principal at Grand Junction Junior High then Central High, and served in the administration office in a variety of positions including Personnel Director. In 1974 he returned to teaching at Central High where he retired in 1987.
As a student of history, and having seen a lot of it at nearly 95 years old, Joe reflected at times on interesting historical events where he happened to be present including seeing Charles Lindbergh land in Chattanooga during his post-trans-Atlantic flight tour; being in Chicago for the 1934 World's Fair when John Dillinger was shot; watching Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig play at Yankee Stadium; fighting in Italy in WWII and seeing Pope Pius XII in the Sistine Chapel when on furlough in Rome. The span of Joe's life included more recent events that he, ever the historian, would comment on as momentous: the fall of Soviet Communism, moon landings and space exploration, terrorism in the name of religion, and the nomination of a woman for President of the United States.
When Betty died, six years ago, Joe soldiered on as best he could until his failing eyesight made it impossible for him to read and be independently mobile. Due to wonderful care by the nearby members of his family, in particular daughter Ellen, Joe was able to live comfortably at home until the very end of his life.
During his career with the school district, Joe positively influenced countless students and over the years many of them thanked him for his contribution to their lives. Among those most thankful for his influence, guidance and love are: son, Joe (Adriane); grandchildren, Ryan, Hollis and Tim; daughter, Sarah Ross; grandson, Michael; daughter, Ellen; son, Pat (Susan); granddaughters, Katelyn and Erin; son, David (Tina); grandchildren, Bailey and Nathan; son, Robert (Stephanie), and granddaughters, Olivia and Ella. In a 60-year partnership with Betty, they provided a family home environment that was loving and supportive of their children's goals, hopes and dreams.
At Joe's 70-year birthday celebration, where all of his immediate family and much of his extended family were in attendance, his closing remarks included his making the Vulcan hand sign made famous by Leonard Nimoy and echoing the wish for all of those there: ""Live long and prosper."" If prosperity can be measured by the love and respect of those who were blessed to know him, Joe, a Christian family man, both lived long and prospered.
A remembrance service will be held at a later date in Arkansas.
Memorial contributions may be made to HopeWest, 3090B N. 12th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
Published in The Daily Sentinel on Mar. 29, 2017
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