Joseph L. Church Jr., 67, passed away Friday, July 21, at his home in Nichols of natural causes.
The visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 26, at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty. Funeral and Graveside Services will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday at the Nichols Cemetery in Nichols. In lieu of flowers: Memorials can be made to the “Joe Church Memorial Fund.”
Joseph Leroy Church was born May 8, 1956. He was the son of Joseph and Jessie (Mullens) Church.
He was a graduate of West Liberty High School in 1974.
He was raised in Nichols. It was there that he met Becky Mills, and they proceeded to raise three children throughout the years.
An avid member of the community, he volunteered for the local fire department and served as Mayor for the City of Nichols.
He worked a fulfilling career for the Company of Heinz in Muscatine, until his celebrated retirement.
Joe enjoyed his work on demo cars in the summertime, teaching his kids how to work under the hood, and making great memories with friends and family competing in derbies across lowa. He loved taking his family to the lowa State Fair, for more than three decades it was an annual tradition. He enjoyed taking his children to the timber, deer hunting with Jeremy, but nothing topped taking his daughter, Jennifer, to go on a good mushroom hunt. Also enjoyed a cold PBR at Burt’s.
He is survived by three children: Jennifer Church (John Odeen), Jeremy Mills (Stephanie Polman) of West Liberty, and Jamey Mills, of Riverside. As well as one grandchild. He is also survived by one sister, Peggy (Phil) Harry, of Reading, Michigan.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Donna.