Emmett Joseph

JOSEPH, Emmett Francis, age 87 of Centerville, passed away on Monday August 19, 2019. He is preceded in death by his parents Milton and Emmaline Joseph, brothers-in-law Elias Ritchey and John Mayhan, and nephew Dan Ritchey. He survived by his wife Carolyn Joseph, sons Matt (Irena), Bradley (Tisia) and Russ (Katie), beloved grandchildren Evan, Niko, Eli, Colin and Sara, sisters Regina Ritchey, Delores Joseph and Rosemarie Mayhan, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Emmett, known to many as “Moose”, was born in Zanesville, OH in 1932, the son of recent immigrants and was an all-American boy. He played baseball and basketball for St. Nicholas H.S. (now Rosecrans H.S.) in Zanesville, did well in school, and then went on to graduate with a business degree from Ohio State. After graduation he was hired as civil servant for the Air Force, working at Newark AFB, Gentile AFS, and finally at Wright-Patterson AFB for many years. While living in Dayton, he was active in many groups, including the Dayton Ski Club and the Catholic Alumni Club. He met and married Carolyn Borchers in 1971, and they raised three sons at their home on Blue Green Drive in Beavercreek. He and Carolyn celebrated 48 years of marriage in February 2019.

They have been active members of St. Luke Parish in Beavercreek up to the present day. For many years, Emmett organized blood drives, coached youth sports, was a lector at Mass, was a charter member of the St. Luke chapter of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, which continues serving people in need to this day, and was founding treasurer of the St. Luke chapter of the K of C. He also was active in improving the community, serving on the North Beavercreek Neighborhood Association, assisting on the campaigns of numerous Beavercreek elected leaders, and working to protect the environment, which grew from his love of hiking, skiing, and travel. Also, for years he helped collect donated goods and delivered them to people in need in Appalachia.

As his sons began attending Carroll H. S., he also became active there, helping found the Patriot Spirit Basketball Club (now in its 25th year of fielding youth teams), and then served on the club board for many years.

Emmett really enjoyed traveling with his family, and their summer camping trips were legendary, with thousands of miles traveled, and hundreds of sights seen, all in a well-traveled and well-loved Chevy van. He loved to garden, and raised everything from green beans and peas to grapes and pears. He lived his faith in prayer and by serving those around him, and those in need around the world. He taught himself to play the ukulele, and enjoyed playing and singing with family and friends. He loved watching Reds baseball, Buckeye football, and Flyer basketball. His enthusiasm for these was only eclipsed by his pride in watching his sons and grandchildren compete and perform in sports, dance and music, and in watching them do well in school, careers, and raising their own families.

For the last few years, as his illness asserted itself, Emmett and Carolyn have lived at St. Leonard's Senior Community in Centerville. They have appreciated the great kindness of the people living and working there. Emmett was lovingly cared for until the end, for years by Carolyn, and for the last two difficult months, by St. Leonard's excellent staff.

Intentionally or not, Emmett’s life followed closely the famous verse in Corinthians. He was a man of daily prayer, whose energy went into acting on his faith, a man of hope, who worked in many ways to change his neighborhood and the world, to make it a better place for all, and a man of love who worked hard and unselfishly for his wife and family and lived to see his work pay off in the best currency; sons and grandchildren fully engaged in life and happy.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, August 23, 2019 at St Luke Catholic Church, 1440 N. Fairfield Rd. Fr. Jerry Haemmerle celebrant. Interment at Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 pm – 7 pm on Thursday, August 22 at the Tobias Funeral Home – Beavercreek Chapel, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Rd. at Grange Hall Rd. and on August 23 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am at the Church. Memorial contributions can be made to the St. Luke Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Alzheimer’s Association, or the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. www.tobiasfuneralhome.com.