One of seven first-generation American children, Joe was born in El Paso, Texas, on August 12, 1937, to immigrant parents from Syria, Zarife and Redwan Halow. He graduated from El Paso High School and attended Texas Western College and then UT Austin, where he received a degree in Finance. Shortly after, Joe was drafted into the U.S. Army. While stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, he met the love of his life, Lorretta “Lorri” Klepac – who was three years his junior and just happened to share his birthday. (A fact he proudly and lovingly told nearly everyone he met.)
Lorri and Joe were married on November 17, 1962, and built their lives together in several locations – Los Angeles, California; Paris, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; San Antonio, Texas; and finally, El Paso, Texas, where they raised their three children. In 1993, their youngest child, R.J., was hit by a drunk driver and died in the accident. Joe was very quick to share with those who asked, “I like to say that he was born into everlasting life.”
Joe began his career in the 1960s working for his father at Anthony Furniture Co. and then for C.H. Levell Construction. In the early 1970s and early 1980s, Joe worked for Farah Manufacturing Company. In 1983, he left Farah and founded the region’s first preferred medical provider organization: Medical Care Referral Group (MCRG). His success with MCRG was the impetus for him to expand his company and in 1985, he founded Assured Benefits Administrators (ABA). After more than 30 years of successfully helping companies connect to medical providers and secure health insurance benefits for their employees - with Lorri as his business partner - Joe sold ABA, and he and Lorri retired.
A devoted husband and loving father and grandfather, Joe was always laser-focused on the well-being of his family and friends. He spent many an hour on the phone, checking in on everyone in his contact list.
For all who knew him, he was warm, gentle, and kind. He had a particular fondness for chocolate and Whataburger, and he felt a relentless need to provide his guests with ample amounts of food. He loved teasing people to “get them to laugh,” which usually involved the request for a frozen margarita - despite his never really partaking. “I was wondering if you could you email me a frozen margarita.” Or, if he was ordering breakfast at Village Inn, “I’ll take a frozen margarita.” Or, while inquiring about various appointments with physicians or other folks, “Do you sell frozen margaritas?”
Joe was a lifelong member of St. George Orthodox Church and lives on through his wife Lorri, his daughters Daphne (David Griffin) and Jennifer (William Ehrlich), his grandchildren Elliott and Evan Griffin and Adin and Elise Ehrlich, his sisters Jeanette Zacour, Wadad Cashman, and Georgette (Terry) Smith, and his many nieces and nephews.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents Zarife and Redwan, his son R.J., his brothers Esaú and George, his sister Najette “Nan” Gillett, as well as family members Nadine Zacour, Seham Halow, George Zacour, Robert Gillett and Hal Cashman.
The family is hosting a visitation at Martin Funeral Home - West on Sunday, July 30 from 6 pm to 7 pm. The Trisagion service will be held from 7 to 8 p.m.
The funeral will be held at St. George’s Orthodox Church on Monday, July 31 at 10 a.m. He will be laid to rest at Memorial Gardens of the Valley following the church service. Donations can be made in Joe’s honor to St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, the National Kidney Foundation at https://www.kidney.org/ or the American Heart Association at https://www.heart.org/
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com for the Halow family.
