Joe grew up on the Wicomico River and at an early age he worked on the family farm and spent countless hours boating. He attended Wicomico High School, Salisbury State College, and University of Maryland College Park before entering the US Navy in 1946. After his Navy service, he went on to work for E.S. Adkins where he was an estimator and worked in design. He later went to work for Chris Craft Corp. in Salisbury as an engineer and J. Roland Dashiell as an estimator. He retired from American Paving in 1990. He was a life member of the United States Power Squadron, where he also taught navigation classes. He was an accomplished wood worker who enjoyed model ship building, furniture making, and boat building. He was also an active volunteer with the Furnacetown Foundation and the Nature Conservancy’s Nassawango Creek Preserve. He and his wife Shirley enjoyed sailing, kayaking, and canoeing across the Eastern Shore. He was a devoted husband, father and, grandfather.
He is survived by his daughters Kimberly Fehrer and her husband, Joe of Cape Charles, VA and Karen Taylor and her husband, Tom of Salisbury. In addition he leaves behind several grandchildren, Amanda Hurley, Trevor Taylor, Jason Fehrer, and Kristen Williams. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Shirley, to whom he was married to for 65 years.
Arrangements are in the care of Bounds Funeral Home located in Salisbury.
