First we want to thank everyone for coming together today to celebrate our dad’s life. It really means a lot to us. Thank you!

Dad really enjoyed work.  He enjoyed his time at the creamery....his time at the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa school district.  Making numerous life long friends and creating countless stories along the way.

Dad truly enjoyed  “retirement”....which entailed helping out at numerous businesses in town as well as helping several farmers in the area...again making numerous life long friends and creating countless stories.  Some of these “retirement” jobs include- Bayer Auto, Harry’s Pizza, Precise Ice, Elrosa lumber yard, Cenex, The Elrosa baseball club...I’m sure I’m missing a couple.  Oh yeah, Dad asked if those guys I just mentioned could put a little extra cash in the collection box for the advertising!😁

Dad’s work ethic was incredible. One example is At age 80 he was helping out at Cenex during their busy spring planting season. During one of those long weeks he knew he had 99.5 hours in... he asked Jerry if he could hang around for a bit so he could clock out at 100 hours. Once again creating another story to share.

Everyone knows the saying “do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Well we truly believe dad never worked a day in his life.  Now that I say that out load I’m sure most of his buddies here would agree with that statement....that Joe never worked a day in his life 😁

Dad really enjoyed helping people and even more so the story he would have to share when the job was done.

Dad loved spending time with family especially times when we all got together.  He loved to fish and hunt. He enjoyed deer hunting with the boys every year. The highlight of each hunt would be the stories dad would tell after.  Us boys have yet to see some of the crazy things he claims to have seen deer do.

Dad was a known as jokester...prankster and had an incredible sense of humor.  A couple of his classic stories include:
-Putting grease on the steering wheel of one of his bus driving buddies.
-Messing with the neighbors rain gauges.
-Telling hospice workers that he sold all his pain meds for cash to pay for bills.
-Asking the doctor at the Mayo Clinic what he’d get if he broke the record for being the oldest patient to have a stem cell transplant.
-Him and his army buddy would spend time at the lake and after a day of fishing and I’m sure a couple of beers they would stop in at one of the more expensive cabins that were for sale. When they would meet the owners of the cabin they would introduce themselves as a doctor and an undertaker and would explain how they worked hand in hand.

Lastly was the love he and our mom shared.  They have been married for 56 years and have set an amazing example of a loving, caring and devoted relationship.

Throughout all of dad’s stories, he left us all with the greatest story ever...his life.

We love you dad you will be forever missed!