Joe was born on the family farm on August 31, 1937. He attended a country school until grade 9 and then went to a Catholic boys’ school for grades 10 –12. He wanted to go to university, but couldn’t afford it. However, he worked for Sask Tel – a job he loved- for 35 years. During that time, Joe spent two years working in the far north as a technician on the Mid Canada Line.

Joe and his wife Sylvia have four children, eleven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. After Sylvia’s death in 1994 he remarried in 2001. Joe has spent his retirement years helping his son and grandson on the farm and also helping with the rehab of an old building for the museum. He has spent countless hours submitting information to the provincial cemetery archives, as well as the maintenance at the church and the church cemetery.