IN MEMORIAM

JOSEPH "JOE" ANTHONY JOSEPH

Joseph Joseph was a caring father, brother, son, and friend whose love and passion for life were larger than any words could ever describe.

At the young age of 54, while surrounded by his loving family, Joe peacefully passed from ALS in the early morning of Friday, February 3rd.

He was an inspiration to many for the way he fought this unthinkable disease. Joe was born in Lansing on October 7th, 1968 to Patricia Spaniola and Michael Joseph.

Having spent nearly all his life in the Lansing area, he attended St. Thomas Aquinas and Lansing Catholic Central for high school.

Being quite the football star, he helped lead his team to win the State Championship in 1985 with 2 touchdowns. His name still, Joe still sits in the LCHS record book, and can be found in the MHSAA record book for rushing touchdowns. After high school, Joe attended Alma College where he played football, joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business. Soon after college, Joe opened Anthony’s Pizza and Grinders in downtown DeWitt, where he met and eventually married Michelle Ramirez.

The two together had Anthony, Michael, and Grace Joseph. After selling his pizza place, Joe became a mortgage banker and found success at Providence Mortgage with his great friends. From the years 2000 up until he retired in 2022, Joe received the Mortgage Banker of the year award from Dart Bank – this year being renamed to the Joe Joseph Mortgage Banker of the year award.

After a separation in 2018, he reconnected with his high school crush and quite possibly the most caring and thoughtful person you’ll ever meet, Bethany Harter, and the two were engaged to marry when he passed. Joe was an outstanding man. He had a zest for life that many could never compare to. Loving to travel with friends and family, he wanted to experience life as God would’ve intended. He made the spontaneous decisions that brought happiness to an average day. Joe’s happy place was sitting on his boat on a beautiful day on Lake Charlevoix with family and friends, listening to Zac Brown Band.

He taught his children to work hard, and love even harder. Getting the chance to know Joe in this lifetime was a privilege, and his family thanks God every day for the beautiful memories they were able to make.

Joe’s life lives on through his mother, Patti, father, Jerry, brother, Michael, sister-in-law, Stephanie, niece, Lucy, fiancée, Bethany, and three children, Anthony, Michael, and Grace. Upon his passing, Joe was reunited with his father, Michael, and two best friends, Anthony Viselli and Dustin Preston.

The family sends a personal thank you to all the love and support they have received, and in the days to come. The visitation and funeral will take place at St. Thomas-Aquinas Parish in East Lansing. The visitation will be held on Thursday, February 16th from 3pm-6pm. There will be an early visitation on the morning of Friday, February 17th at 10am, before Mass at 11am. Funeral home arrangements are being handled through Gorsline Runciman. If there is anyone that would like to send their love and prayers to the family, they would prefer it be in the form of a donation to Zac Brown Band’s ALS foundation, Hop On A Cure. Thank you to everyone that is helping through these trying times.

Posted online on February 09, 2023