Joel Lee Nail, 56, of Bossier City, Louisiana, died suddenly Saturday, August 1, 2020, in Bossier City, Louisiana. He was born November 14, 1963, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Donald and Patricia Nail. Joel graduated from Elkton High School in Maryland in 1982 and received his degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1986. He worked for several years in finance, and then he enjoyed running his own successful Hot Shot, Unlimited business for many years until he retired.
Throughout his life, Joel’s main passion was people. He loved people. He treasured his numerous friendships and constantly added new friends to his life. Joel’s friendliness and outgoing personality endeared him immediately to all who met him. His cheerfulness, hilarious stories, and witty remarks made him a favorite friend to spend time with. Joel inevitably made a lasting impression so that even people who only met him briefly would remember him years later. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Joel enjoyed many things, but his favorite activity was savoring food and fellowship at three-hour meals with friends. He also enjoyed photography, history, reading, trivia, and playing games with friends. Joel was very active in the First United Methodist Church Singles Group and served as an officer for many years. His friends will definitely miss seeing his one-of-a-kind creative costumes at the church Halloween dances.
Joel valued relationships and did not want people to be alone on holidays. He and his mother started a tradition of having annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. For the past twenty years, Joel invited anyone and everyone to these holiday meals to help provide laughter and companionship for all at these special times of year.
Sports brought Joel great delight and was a special bond he shared with his brother. Since Joel was born in Kansas City, he was a devoted life-long fan of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs. The Royals made Joel especially happy in 1985 and 2015, and after a long fifty-year wait, the Chiefs gave much joy to Joel this past Groundhog Day.
Although Joel was diagnosed with juvenile (Type 1) diabetes when he was eight years old, he led a full, active life. In his younger years, he loved playing basketball and racquetball. In later years, he enjoyed playing volleyball. Joel had such a zest for life that many people were surprised to find out about his long-term medical condition.
Joel was extremely close to his parents and was predeceased by them. He was also predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Roy Lee and Ava Elmo Nail, and his maternal grandparents, Silas Theodore and Charles Earle Redmond.
Joel is survived by his brother, Daniel Nail (Lisa) of Arab, Alabama, and his niece Samantha Nail, of Arab, Alabama, as well as several other nieces and nephews. Joel is survived by his beloved girlfriend, Micki Hering. He is also survived by Jessica Clevenger Bohn (Henry), who is like a daughter to him, Lisa Morgan (Tim), who has been a close friend since college, Mark Paul (Mary Kay), his roommate from college, and Rusty Davis, his long-time weekly lunch buddy.
A time of visitation for Joel will be held beginning at 9:30 A.M., Thursday, August 6, 2020, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 A.M., with a gravesite committal afterwards at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home in Haughton, Louisiana. Reverend Tom Howe will officiate. The service will also be available via Facebook with the following link: Visit the Facebook page of Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home and Memorial Park Haughton.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests with gratitude that memorials be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Joel often said that he wanted people to remember him as someone who made them laugh.
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