Regular Joe
With very deep sadness to see this obit. I have one of Joe's old refrigerator magnets with the plumber's step van on it. I had tried to call that number last year.
I last saw Joe in 2012. I had come back to Westwood on Easter Saturday, and my mom was having a plumbing emergency. I hadn't seen Joe in two decades. I called Joe, and he was literally there in five minutes. We had a great talk, and I was very impressed with Joe's commitment to the challenges in his life, and his family. A man to emulate, I thought. But then again, Joe always was a man to emulate.
Joe was a very steady factor in my senior year at Langley, and our crosstown jaunts to PLUMBING OVT at Peabody H.S. Whether my car, the 71 A,B, or C, or Joe's trusty van... those were very interesting trips, with great conversation. We had a couple/few run-ins (you know me). Joe always had my back, and knew how to keep his cool when I had to talk with the cops. We had hilarious incidents changing two tires at once under duress in East Liberty, towing a car out of the woods by his house, and navigating the heck out of dodge when us few Langley fellas hadda situation with mebbe 40 or so Peabody toughs. (Mr Huddles's speech after we got back to Langley was an all time classic). At our graduation in Oakland, Joe made the event super-memorable for me. His friendship, savvy, and witty remarks probably more than any other person on the face of the earth, helped me keep my head together before I shipped out in the military. Joe was •BY FAR• the best plumber, and smartest person about building codes and requirements and such in the PLUMBING OVT class. Joe was better with his hands, and knew more than the instructor (whose name I will respectfully omit here). Joe did an incredibly humorous impersonation of that teacher, and our gym teacher back at Langley. The man could really make me laugh back in those days, something I really needed.
Thanks Joe. Condolences to all family and friends. I'll see you in the good place in the next wink, Brother. Rest up, Man, because when I get up there we're gonna have to ride around the city and have a blast!