Joe was born April 9, 1939, in Moline, the son of Joseph J. and Irene M. Fiems. He attended school in Moline and graduated from Alleman High School in 1957. Joe served honorably in the U.S. Air Force with the SAC police and was stationed in Florida. When he completed his military service in 1964, he attended college on the GI Bill. His college education included Black Hawk College in Moline and went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan and then Master's degree in special education from the University of Northern Iowa.
Joe started his career in education with the Iowa Department of Social Services as a teacher at the Eldora Training School for Boys. He retired from Eldora in 2001, after 30 years of dedicated service to others as the educational administrator.
Joe was a gifted artist and writer and enjoyed fishing, hunting and tinkering in his workshop. He was also an accomplished chef with a special interest in Belgian cuisine. He was also a passionate collector of American Indian artifacts and a student of their culture.
Joe married Sandra Specht in 1964, and they raised four children, Noel, Aviano, Italy; Tani, Mediapolis, Iowa; Justin, Mediapolis; and Elizabeth Ann, Ackley, Iowa. Joe and Sandra divorced in 1987. In 1996, Joe met and later married Judy Reiter and became stepfather to three boys, Troy, Tob and Scott. On the day of his passing, Joe's kids had blessed his life with 22 grandchildren. In addition to his immediate family, Joe also left behind two brothers, Richard, Port Byron, and Tom, Cordova; and two sisters, Jeri, Palm Coast, Fla., and Charlene, East Moline.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Michelle.
(Rock Island Argus, June 09, 2010)
Joe started his career in education with the Iowa Department of Social Services as a teacher at the Eldora Training School for Boys. He retired from Eldora in 2001, after 30 years of dedicated service to others as the educational administrator.
Joe was a gifted artist and writer and enjoyed fishing, hunting and tinkering in his workshop. He was also an accomplished chef with a special interest in Belgian cuisine. He was also a passionate collector of American Indian artifacts and a student of their culture.
Joe married Sandra Specht in 1964, and they raised four children, Noel, Aviano, Italy; Tani, Mediapolis, Iowa; Justin, Mediapolis; and Elizabeth Ann, Ackley, Iowa. Joe and Sandra divorced in 1987. In 1996, Joe met and later married Judy Reiter and became stepfather to three boys, Troy, Tob and Scott. On the day of his passing, Joe's kids had blessed his life with 22 grandchildren. In addition to his immediate family, Joe also left behind two brothers, Richard, Port Byron, and Tom, Cordova; and two sisters, Jeri, Palm Coast, Fla., and Charlene, East Moline.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Michelle.
(Rock Island Argus, June 09, 2010)
Joe was born April 9, 1939, in Moline, the son of Joseph J. and Irene M. Fiems. He attended school in Moline and graduated from Alleman High School in 1957. Joe served honorably in the U.S. Air Force with the SAC police and was stationed in Florida. When he completed his military service in 1964, he attended college on the GI Bill. His college education included Black Hawk College in Moline and went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan and then Master's degree in special education from the University of Northern Iowa.
Joe started his career in education with the Iowa Department of Social Services as a teacher at the Eldora Training School for Boys. He retired from Eldora in 2001, after 30 years of dedicated service to others as the educational administrator.
Joe was a gifted artist and writer and enjoyed fishing, hunting and tinkering in his workshop. He was also an accomplished chef with a special interest in Belgian cuisine. He was also a passionate collector of American Indian artifacts and a student of their culture.
Joe married Sandra Specht in 1964, and they raised four children, Noel, Aviano, Italy; Tani, Mediapolis, Iowa; Justin, Mediapolis; and Elizabeth Ann, Ackley, Iowa. Joe and Sandra divorced in 1987. In 1996, Joe met and later married Judy Reiter and became stepfather to three boys, Troy, Tob and Scott. On the day of his passing, Joe's kids had blessed his life with 22 grandchildren. In addition to his immediate family, Joe also left behind two brothers, Richard, Port Byron, and Tom, Cordova; and two sisters, Jeri, Palm Coast, Fla., and Charlene, East Moline.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Michelle.
(Rock Island Argus, June 09, 2010)
Joe started his career in education with the Iowa Department of Social Services as a teacher at the Eldora Training School for Boys. He retired from Eldora in 2001, after 30 years of dedicated service to others as the educational administrator.
Joe was a gifted artist and writer and enjoyed fishing, hunting and tinkering in his workshop. He was also an accomplished chef with a special interest in Belgian cuisine. He was also a passionate collector of American Indian artifacts and a student of their culture.
Joe married Sandra Specht in 1964, and they raised four children, Noel, Aviano, Italy; Tani, Mediapolis, Iowa; Justin, Mediapolis; and Elizabeth Ann, Ackley, Iowa. Joe and Sandra divorced in 1987. In 1996, Joe met and later married Judy Reiter and became stepfather to three boys, Troy, Tob and Scott. On the day of his passing, Joe's kids had blessed his life with 22 grandchildren. In addition to his immediate family, Joe also left behind two brothers, Richard, Port Byron, and Tom, Cordova; and two sisters, Jeri, Palm Coast, Fla., and Charlene, East Moline.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Michelle.
(Rock Island Argus, June 09, 2010)
Inscription
A1C US Air Force
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
