Joe Max Kurkowski
Joe Max Kurkowski, 91, entered into rest January 17, 2013 in Moses Lake. He was born August 6, 1921 in Watauga, South Dakota. He was the fifth of 9 brothers and 3 sisters. As a young man he went to school on horseback with some of his siblings and worked on the farm. In 1936 the family moved to Minnesota to farm and raise cattle.
Joe joined the Army Air Corps in August of 1941, went to basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia then on to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he became number 1 in his class in receiving and sending code. This was fine until he was told he was not going to be a pilot, he was needed as a radio man. He did get to fly in several missions while stationed in Burma. He was discharged in December of 1945 and returned home to Minnesota.
He stayed in Minnesota until 1947 when he and a couple of friends and a brother decided to go to Alaska. Coming through Washington they stopped in Lind to get harvest jobs to help fund their adventure. They all got jobs and this is where Joe met Betty who was a cook for the harvest crew. A short time later in 1948 they were married.
Joe retired at the age of 62. His dream of going to Alaska finally came true, he went to Bristol Bay to fish for his son-in-law's fish processing camp. He did this for a couple summers. In 1988 Betty joined him to cook; she never lost her touch. Joe and Betty enjoyed trips to Minnesota, California, and Arizona to visit family. After that they pretty much settled in at home in Warden.
Joe couldn't be idle, so he started repairing small engines out of his garage; there wasn't anything he couldn't make run again. He enjoyed doing this and raising a huge garden until arthritis got the best of his hands and he couldn't use his tools anymore. He was a man of integrity and good humor and always ready to help someone. He loved his family and enjoyed telling stories about his life experiences.
He is survived by his wife Betty, Moses Lake, son Joe Kurkowski Jr. (Patti), Warden, daughter Roxanne Clark (Mark), Warden, daughter Ruth Dasch, Warden, 3 grandsons, Kerry Kurkowski, Woodland, WA, Eric Clark, Moses Lake, Travis Clark, Moses Lake, 2 granddaughters, Stacie White, Spokane, WA, and Angela Clausen, Hercules CA., 5 great grand children Clayton Clark, Madisyn Clark, Brock Clark, Brooklyn Clark, and Kylie White. Joe was preceded in death by his daughter Teresa, son- in- law Robert, 8 brothers and 2 sisters.
Services will be held at the Queen of all Saints Catholic Church in Warden. Rosary at 10:00 a.m. and Mass at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 25. A graveside service will be held after at Sunset Memorial Gardens Warden, WA. A luncheon will follow at the church hall. Please sign the online guestbook at www.kayserschapel.com.