Joel "Joe" Leet

Joel "Joe" Herman Leet went to be with the Lord and the love of his life on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024. He will always be remembered for his love for the Lord, as well as his love and dedication to his family.

Born in Lakewood, NJ, on January 1, 1933, Joe was the youngest of seven children. He moved to Miami, FL, in 1943, where he met and married his junior high school sweetheart, June Elizabeth Harvey, in 1952. They shared 53 wonderful years together before June went to be with the Lord in 2005.

Joe's life was marked by dedication and service. As a young man, he was a Golden Gloves Champion boxer before enlisting in the US Air Force, where he served from 1951 to 1955, including a tour in the Korean War. After his military service, Joe pursued higher education, earning a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Miami and a master’s degree in business from Stetson University.

In 1962, Joe began a lifelong career with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. He believed in the space program and was thrilled to be a part of space exploration. His contributions to the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Station, and Shuttle programs were a source of immense pride. Joe retired from NASA in 1989 but continued to share his expertise as a consultant for seven more years.

Joe's faith was a cornerstone of his life. For over 40 years, he served the Lord by volunteering in the Lynx bus ministry, taking groups of children on weekend trips to the mountains to experience God's creation. His greatest joy was sharing the love of Jesus with others.

Joe is deeply loved and will be profoundly missed by his family: his three daughters, Valorie Stanley (Jeff), Rhonda Suchyna (Gary), and Beverly Peery (Jimmy); his seven grandchildren, Mariah LaMattina (Joey), Brandon Stanley (Leslie), Nicole, Michael, and Daniel Suchyna, Marissa Wagner (Carson), and Brianna Peery; his great-granddaughters, Kennedy Jo Wagner and Baby Stanley; and his beloved sister, Bernice McGuinn.

Joe cherished the Lord, his family, his friends, and his Miami Hurricanes. He shared the love of Jesus Christ with others and will spend eternity with his Lord. His legacy of faith and love will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Visitation will be at 11:30 am, and his Celebration of Life will be at 12 pm on June 29, 2024, at Park Avenue Baptist Church in Titusville, FL. Burial with military honors will follow at Brevard Memorial Park in Cocoa, FL.

Please share your thoughts and memories with us by visiting Joel Leet Obituary - Cocoa, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) https://alzfdn.org/donate/.