Marie's Brother, Joe

For a long time I couldn't remember seeing any pictures of Joe. Then one day I decided that Marie's huge photo album/family Bible/keepsake holder etc. should be made available to her family in her closed group. I was amazed at the amount of information Marie had in this "Family Book."

Joe was in the Navy. Marie has pictures of Joe with his brothers in uniform as well as friends from the service. As I was posting pictures for her from her book I wondered about Joe. All I knew about him was that he had been sick. This is what I found out. He had gotten tuberculosis when he was in the service. He spent several years in the hospital recovering. He had approximately three quarters of one lung removed during that time. His niece said, "Even that didn't stop him. He was always a positive person. He learned how to crochet and did other forms of needlework". His sister Pauline, had a beaded bag that he made while he was in the hospital. I was told by another niece that he crocheted doll clothes at home. Marie made doll clothes also.
He worked at Anwelt Shoe Company after he was discharged from the hospital.When he retired they moved to Fort Pierce, Florida where he and his wife, Rita lived for the remainder of their lives. They had two children; two sons, Wayne and Larry. Larry is deceased. Wayne and his wife are EMS in Alaska.
 "Joe continued to crochet and make tablecloths and pocketbooks." She said he also made rosary beads for members of his church. He and Rita made all sorts of string bags, hobo bags, clutches, etc. Another niece told me that Joe and his wife loved to cook and bake and enjoyed playing cards.
At one time one of his nieces had a nasty automobile accident that caused her to have twenty-nine operations on one of her legs. Joe took some of her crocheted toy animals and sold them to people that he worked with.

He mesmerized his nieces and nephews with his magic tricks with quarters. What a fun man he must have been and so very kind.
One of his visitors said that they had a swimming pool at their house and they had contests to see who could go longer under the water. Even with his bad lungs she said, he beat her. What great memories.
Joe loved to play golf. He could only play 9 holes, but that was great fun for him. When they had company visit them in Florida the park where they lived had a par 3 course and he would take them golfing.
Now for the fun part of Joe's hobbies; He loved model train sets and had quite a set up in his basement. He had so much fun with them. He had the train actually go into the bathroom. If you needed Toilet Tissue he would have his train deliver it to you in the bathroom! So much fun. My husband said that he can only remember seeing it once when he was young but it was great.

The impact on me was his height. He was very tall. In one picture he was kneeling in front of a group with his big ol' arm around his baby sister, Lucy. I said at the time I posted it, that that picture said, Love.

Joe loved his family and friends. He is in many pictures, but I chose these to show that were scotch taped and glued in Marie's album. I did not crop or change anything so the picture of Joe is exactly like it is in her book as is the picture of Joe and his wife Rita. I would have loved to have met him.
Other pictures were supplied by his son, Wayne and his wife, Debbie. I also did not crop or edit these pictures on purpose.
Here are some comments about Joe's wife Rita, "she was always very kind. She was always ready to help someone if they were in need. She and Joe were well suited in my estimation. I think the world was a nicer place because they were part of it."
 I would like to thank Marie's family for their stories and their assistance in their helping me with the pictures.