Joe was born in Chicago, IL to a young secretary and a WW-1 veteran, who lied about his young age so he could join the Navy to travel the world. Joe grew up in Downers Grove, IL which was part of the sprawling “far western suburbs” of Chicago.

 

In 1966, he graduated from St Procopius College with a BS-Biology degree, got married, and started his MS-Biology degree at Northern Illinois University. By August 1968, he moved west to Iowa State University in Ames, IA to begin a PhD in Reproductive Physiology. In November 1971, he moved with his wife and their 7-month old daughter to Kansas City to begin a Post-Doctoral research stint in the Department of OB/GYN at KU Medical Center. The couple had another daughter in 1973, and Joe accepted a position at the School of Medicine, eventually becoming a Professor of Anatomy & Cell Biology. While teaching, he did research in Reproductive Physiology and also became Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Director of the MD-PhD Physician Scientist Training Program.

 

Joe retired in 2012 with the idea that "everyday was now Saturday for this single man with 5 awesome grandkids to enjoy
as much as possible." He has enjoyed the time to build a woodworking shop, where he can make gifts for family and friends: personalized clocks for each grandchild, exercise weight rack for daughter’s family, waterbed frame and underdrawer system, wine rack, etc. He also enjoys ongoing remodeling in the house, working on the Rotary trailer (thanks Joe!), yard landscaping, and even dabbling in poetry.

Vacations are adventures of discovery for Joe and just about anywhere is “a favorite place” whether hiking and fishing in Colorado, enjoying the art and creative spirit of Sante Fe and Albuquerque, our fabulous National Parks and Monuments, or the breathtaking mountain landscapes of Germany, Bavaria, Austria, northern Italy, and Bogota, Colombia. Joe also enjoys catching games at Wrigley Field, Kauffman Stadium, and K-State's Bill Snyder Stadium. 

Joe enjoys high action movies (any Eastwood flick), suspense dramas, and even musicals like Grease! He might have to be coaxed into singing at Karaoke Night, but he would sing "Sunday Morning Coming Down" by Johnny Cash. He says that Johnny would rise from the grave just to silence him, so we might have to gently coax him up on stage :)