Joseph Martin Joeb

Joeb, Joseph Martin 72, artist, illustrator, caricaturist, cartoonist, photographer, writer, author and best of all, teacher, died August 12,2015, which was sooner than he wanted but pretty much when he expected. If you happen to own a piece of his artwork, the value may just have gone up. Although born in Maryland (1942), he considered himself a Tampa native. He was a member of the first four-year class of Chamberlain High School (1960) and very nearly had to stay five. The principal, Ateo Leto, was one of the educators (beginning with Mrs. Conrad, in third grade) who had a major impact on his ultimate career choice. His teaching credentials included certification in Gifted Education which was of particular interest to him. In addition to advocating gifted programs in public schools (where he believed gifted students were poorly served) he was, for several years, Tampa Bay Mensa's Gifted Children's Program coordinator. Since he subscribed to Socrates' belief that someone who is paid to teach can't be trusted to teach the truth, he claimed he wasn't paid to teach; he was paid for putting up with the bureaucracy that allowed him access to the classroom where he could challenge students. It was those challenges and high standards that got him labeled the “meanest, evil-est, bad-est, nastiest” teacher on campus. Since the number of former students wishing to “dance on his grave” could create a traffic jam, there will be no graveside service. Throughout most of his teaching career he was a natty dresser, even sporting an occasional boutonniere, but once retired opted for shorts and polo shirt and considered himself “dressed up” when he added his peacock suspenders. His hobbies included calligraphy, his birds, reading and cooking. He was politically incorrect, curmudgeonly, a fan of shaggy dog stories and elephant jokes and was disappointed that sarcasm was not considered a second language. Lee, his favorite of three successive wives and Jasmine, a blue and gold macaw who is jealous of Lee, survive him. Others include his daughter, Mary Beth; two granddaughters, two great-grandchildren, a brother and sister, a stepson, Eric Boyle and his wife, Roberta. Having lived through a much earlier bout with lung cancer and made it past the “sell by” date (three score and ten) he considered the recent years a bonus and hoped at life's end to discover the true nature of God. A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Sunday, August 23, 2015 at Blount & Curry Funeral Home Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33618; family will start receiving guests at 1pm.