Joe was a great friend for the short time we new each other. I enjoyed the his honest opinions and the time we spent playing Risk and Phase 10 on the weekends.

Joseph,

Most of your friends are not big sappy writers. Go figure for a bunch of guys who grew up in a logging community. Evan has written you a nice goodbye. Chris and Carl will probably post something eventually, but you were always waiting for them anyway.

How is it by the way, that on your literal death bed, with all the hot young female nurses running around, you get an old guy named Karl? I mean, seriously?!!?

You're memorial brochure says you're "not one to complain". I laughed at first, then thought about it. That was true for your health. I never once heard you gripe about having so much health stuff to deal with. You just dealt with it. Life stuff was the same way. You didn't seem to think life owed you anything or that you were entitled to anything. You worked for the things you wanted, saved up, got them, or put them back on the shelf at the last possible minute after spending an hour in the store shopping. With other things however, not so much with the not complaining. 

Some of my strongest memories of you will be the exasperated sighs when Luke's cousin did something else you couldn't believe. Or the lightning incident with your electronics. Or the throwing of Xbox controllers, pre and post lightning incident, when that "special physics engine" for Trials kicked in. I remember the sheepish look on your face, when you finally admited to us that you were in fact not collecting controllers, but replacing ones you broke. 3? 4? 5? After a while they just kept appearing in different colors. I also remember quite a bit of, maybe not complaining so much as sheer frustration voiced, about how four of us could go out to eat and even though you quickly ordered first, you always got your food last. Ah, good times. Who, other than you, has ever had a fast food place not only lose your order, but delete it from their system completely and then look at you blankly as you're standing there with the receipt in your hand? At two different places, two different times! You had the opposite of lottery luck.

I will miss hanging out and riding around in your truck. I will not miss driving to Smokey Point because you 
found a DVD for $1.27 less then you could get it at Freddy's in Monroe. You kept that truck in such pristine
condition. After you passed, I started thinking about what your parents were going to do with it. Your dad had said he didn't want to take a truck to work. I thought your mom might want it, but she said she didn't want to drive it after you were gone. I thought about all your friends and none of us could have kept it as nice as you did. Maybe Evan. I don't think any of us would have really wanted it Joe. We all know we couldn't have kept it the way you did and it would have been a disservice to you. Glad to hear it is going back to the person you got it from and took such good care of it to begin with.   

One cold November morning many years ago you rapped on my window and woke me up. I remember seeing you standing out in the snow. It was Black Friday and I had over slept. You waited patiently while I got ready, making you later for your sales with every passing moment. You were always so excited to be out and about. Over time you developed an organizational spreadsheet, with teams of people stationed at different stores and lists of what to buy for each other for maximum shopping efficiency. My nieces went along one year for your Black Friday and will forever vividly remember that day. You changed their lives. Two teenage girls you out-shopped, exhausted, and broke of shopping obsession. Now, when someone says to them "let's go shopping", they think of you. Two girls you didn't know well, now grown women, whose lives you will be a part of forever. 

You got me to watch a lot of car shows. It was a fun time, just sitting there watching them with you. I learned a lot. I liked the hostess a lot. You went to an event with the hostess, didn't say hello to her. We went to a lot of the same stores so you could talk to the same cashier. You would always get shy and then just be polite and walk away. Sometimes a cashier would tease you about buying magazines and instead of flirting back with her you would get upset and shut her down. Many times I had to shrug at a cashier over your shoulder when she looked to me to see why you weren't flirting back with her.

Many years ago Scott told me it was fun to see you growing up and starting to show an interest in girls. He also told me you had a huge crush on Krystol Jenkins. Krystol was a good choice. We ate at Alfy's a lot, even though you didn't like their pizza. I'm a little slow, but one day it dawned on me that whenever we had to go for pizza, Krystol just happened to be on shift. I remember a couple of times we showed up on her lunch break and she came and ate with us. I also remember you would get all shy and weird and couldn't quite talk to her. But we kept going back for pizza. When Krystol passed, it hit harder then I thought it would. I kept her memorial on my shelf for some reason, couldn't really tell you why. Your mom gave me your memorial when I went up to see your parents. Now I understand. Your memorial and Krystol's are sitting together.     

I will remember all the 4th's of July.

You affected a lot of lives Joe. Made them better. I will miss you.

See ya on the flip side.

-Bill

Joe was such an awesome guy. He loved bowling and was so competitive. He also loved playing poker. We would spend many nights on the computer playing poker against each other. Somehow he ALWAYS won! Had to be rigged. I remember some or best times was 4 wheeling up in the snow. One time we all chained our trucks together to pull a fallen tree off the road...this inadvertently pulled down a standing tree right next to us. Watching that tree fall with all the snow dust spinning in the headlights around us was incredible! It's a great memory that I think about often. I had some great times with Joe and I'm so sad that he has left us. Thankfully I know he is in a better place now. He will be missed dearly. Take care good buddy!

Simply put, Joe was one of the best friends anyone could have.  He and I instantly became buddies back in 2004, and from that point on, we did just about everything together.  I didn't know about his CF until sometime in 2006, but that did not change anything about how I treated him.  I figured he didn't want any special treatment, so I just considered him as normal as anyone else.  I think that is why he and I were such good friends.

I was always finding old trucks to fix up, and Joe's portion of the job was to get them clean and looking new again.  He loved having a regular job to do, and was happy to always have plenty of work to do.  He went with me every time I would go buy a derelict old truck, and each time it was an adventure.  He loved the detail vehicles!  I would occasionally drop off one of my trucks for him to clean, at his own meticulous pace.  He's the only guy I would trust to clean and polish my rigs!  He spent so many hours out in the garage, and it showed.  He had a true talent and passion for detailing vehicles.

For at least 10 years, Joe and I would have Sunday TV night up at his folks' place.  I enjoyed that a lot, and I know he did too.  This is where I got to know his parents much better, building what I believe will be a lifelong friendship.  Joe and I would watch the All-Star Game and World Series every year, but only after going out to Zeke's for burgers.  It was one of our many annual traditions.  I will carry that tradition on, and I know Joe will be there in spirit.

Some of my best memories are when Joe, Dean, and myself would play catch out in the yard on the warm summer nights.  Joe would always try to do his crazy behind-the-back catch, which rarely worked!  The other funny thing he would do is throw his mitt at a completely uncatchable throw!  Boy, that used to crack me up!

Even when he got really sick over the past few months, he didn't complain.  He was never one to want any sort of pity.  He would rather just talk about anything other than his health.  Yeah, he would give me an update on his condition, but the conversation would quickly turn to trucks, sports, or whatever else we liked to discuss.

I am going to miss him dearly, but I am very thankful for every moment we spent together, and I am also thankful for getting to know Dean and Linda as well.  While losing him to this terrible disease is hard, we know he is pain-free now and in a much better place, likely making everyone laugh with his sarcastic sense of humor!

One last thing...  Joe loved the snow, and always would complain when we didn't get a white Christmas.  Well, we had one this year, and I am completely convinced it was a gift from him.  It was no coincidence we had a white Christmas just a couple days after his passing.  Thanks, buddy!!!

He was my best friend, and I will look forward to seeing him again someday.

We enjoyed Joe's firework display for so many years! It was truly the highlight of the year for us. If there is anything at all we can do to ease your grief even a little please let us know.

Dean and Linda, I think you know what your amazing son meant to me. Friends since we met at Sky Valley in 1988 and blessed to have him as a lifelong friend. I am forever grateful to have had him in my life and look forward to the day that we see him made new when Christ returns.  What a day that will be!  Love to you both.

Joe was such a special, unique person. I really enjoyed his sense of humor. He loved his family and his friends with an open heart. I admired how strong he was through all of his struggles. We will miss you very much Joe. <3

Thoughts and prayers for your family during this difficult time. I am so sorry Linda and Dean.  I am blessed to have known Joe, he was such an amazing person.

Dean and Linda as you and the family cope with the loss of Joe I am reminded of the Hymn We Have This Hope. Hold fast ! Rest assure! Our peayers to you all- Don, Lorna,Ramona,& Russ Hyslop

I cannot pretend to know your loss. He will be missed especially his smile.

Joe was a wonderful friend to Evan!  My favorite memory of Joe was when we told him we owned a snake during a meal he had at my house! Ha!  I have never seen someone jump up on top of their chair so fast...while maintaining his ability to cut a nice juicy steak!  Joe and I shared conversations about caring for someone with a lifelong illness...he knew how hard it was and was very encouraging to me.  Although we were at opposite ends of the care, he and I spoke and heard the same language about care giving.  We love Joe and will continue to love him, remember him, and talk about him.

OBITUARY

Joseph Richard Anderson

November 2, 1980 – December 23, 2017

Purdy & Kerr with Dawson Funeral Home

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