Joe, 43, died in Missoula May 14, 1979, of cancer. He was born January 22, 1936, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Joe graduated from the University of Indiana with a bachelor's degree and from the University of Montana with a master's in Biology.

Joe taught school in Myersdale, Pennsylvania, for 13 years. He was in the Navy from 1957 to 1959. In 1975 he moved to Missoula and became a full-time smokejumper. Joe jumped at Missoula 1956 and 1963-78.