Joe was born on March 20, 1934, in Claflin, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his ten brothers and sisters.
Joe served his country in the United States Army. He earned a Masters in Economics at Fort Hays University and went on to build a career in finance at General Electric in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked until his retirement at age 60. In 1996, he and his wife, Clarice, moved to Leisure World in Mesa. They both enjoyed great weather, travel, round dancing and many friends.
Joe and Clarice shared nearly 67 years of marriage. In addition to Clarice, he is survived by his children: Jolynn (Frank) Bakes and John (Wendy) Chism; five grandchildren: Kati, Frank, Lynn, Nick, and Ryan; and nine great-grandchildren: Addison, Balthazar, Katharina, Anastasia, Frank, Peter, Thomas, Marylynn, and Theo.
A Mass will be held at All Saints Catholic Church, 1534 N. Recker Rd, Mesa, AZ 85205, on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:30am. A fellowship will follow in Leisure World.
Joe will be buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery in Hays, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to All Saints Catholic Church (asccm.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org/donate).
