Joe was always big-hearted, ready to help anyone. He was a devout Catholic. He was a foundling, left on steps of the convent in Deer Lodge; he lived with the nuns their until he was five. They instilled the faith in him; he knew all the prayers, and when to do what at Mass. He was at church every Sunday.
Joe was member of the fire department, and he was very proud of that. One year the Las Vegas Fire Department gave us a truck, and Joe traveled with Bud Smith and Bruce Gilmer to pick it up and drive it back. When Bud and Bruce went to collect Joe for the flight, he came down with this big trunk. They said, this a bit much for the plane. And Joe said: “Well, it’s the only thing my fire hat will fit in.”
They got to Las Vegas, picked up the fire truck, and drove to a motel for the night. Then they got a taxi to go downtown for something to eat. They went and had supper, and took in the city lights. The problem was, there were five motels in Vegas with the same name. When they got a cab to go back to the motel, the driver asked where to. But they weren’t sure which of the five it was. So Joe piped up: “It’s the one with the fire truck in front.”
