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Joe Child — A Gift for All of Us

By Liska Stefko


Joe Child (pictured here with his wife Kathy), a long-time member of L’Arche Daybreak, died on February 5, 2019. Joe was a retired woodworker, teacher, funeral director and former leader of the Woodery. Joe’s love of the outdoors, paddling and camping brought people together.

Joe Child — that word is such an important one in the vocabulary of our community. It’s easy to say. Joe. Child. Two short words, over the years, made into one. JoeChild. Not just Joe — there are lots of Joes. Maybe Joe and Kathy, Kathy and Joe. This beloved duo. Or as Roy Turkel called them: Joe Kelly.

 

For David: “He’s my brother.”

For Darryl: “He’s my boss. Best boss.”

For Gordie: “Joe Child so holy.”

For Linda: “The bestest guy in the world. A cutie old guy, a good lucky guy, the only one for me be- cause he loves me. He was wonderful to Kathy Kelly and me too.”

For Brian, JoeChild is the stan- dard bearer, the superlative, the best of anything…

 

That to which the rest of us are compared: If you’re cute, you’re cute like Joe Child, if you’re smart, you’re smart like Joe Child, and if you’re funny, you’re funny like Joe Child. As Brian said about Joe: “Joe Child is cute like the light bulb inside of his heart.”

 

When Helen walked into Joe’s hospital room she said “Joe you are a good man. I bless you and I send you home to Jesus.”

 

Joe Child was a gift and he showed all of us that community is also a gift to be received.