Joseph ""Joe"" K. Mickey

There's a tear in my beer…

Never one to stay put, Joseph K. Mickey moved out for the last time November 3, 2018 at the age of 83.

Born in Lawrenceville, Illinois in 1935, Joe was the baby in his family. He was raised by the indomitable force that was Mary ""Mammy"" Mickey, his older brother Bill, and sisters Margaret and Barbara. The family moved to Arkansas when Joe was a youngster. It was in Eureka Springs where Joe lived a Tom Sawyer childhood and made lifelong friendships. He had a summer job working at a lake where tourists came to fish. He became a good fisherman himself and would enjoy fishing for the remainder of his life. When Joe graduated from high school, he took great pride that he was in the top 20 of his class. A class of 25.

It was during his senior year that Joe enlisted in the Navy. Honorably discharged in 1956, He moved to Phoenix, Arizona to live with Bill, his sister-in-law Joanna, and Mammy. Joe worked as a printer, drank beers at the Passkey Inn bar, and met the sparring partner of his life, Marianne. They married in 1957 and had three pains in the ass: Jon, Beth Anne and Jeff. That youngest one having the nerve to be born during an episode of Bonanza.

Living in Phoenix, surrounded by the ever expanding Mickey clan, Joe became the favorite uncle of his many nieces and nephews. Routinely with beer in hand, singing ""Ruby"" and telling tales, Uncle Joe always enjoyed visiting with everyone as long as they didn't stay TOO long.

Fed up with the desert heat, Joe moved the family to Colorado in 1968. First living in Broomfield close to Barbara's family, and then Loveland. He became an honorary Uncle Joe to a number of college bums who would converge on his home every Sunday during football season to watch Bronco games. His love-hate relationship with the Donkeys would continue for the rest of his life. After working as a printer and later sales rep for various bank supplies, He semi-retired in Wyoming in 1987. Now ‘Grandpa' Joe introduced his six ‘Stinker' grandsons and only ‘Sweetie Pie' granddaughter to cowboy ways and rodeo days. (Joe has a near complete collection of John Wayne DVDs and 8 commemorative Cheyenne Frontier Days belt buckles if anyone is interested…)

A doting Grandpa, he and Grandma attended countless soccer, baseball, football, basketball, hockey games and twirling competitions. An enthusiastic spectator, Grandpa was never shy about loudly sharing his colorful opinions to any and all officials and fans within earshot.

Continually looking for that greener pasture, Joe moved Marianne back to Colorado in 1998 jumping from Littleton to Ft. Morgan, Bailey, Brush, and back to Littleton…or some order like that. Joe himself moved to Hudson and FINALLY bought a truck before relocating (again) to Littleton after Marianne's death in 2015. Joe enjoyed living in downtown Littleton because it reminded him of Eureka Springs. The one place he always referred to as ""heaven on earth.""

The last few years of his life, Joe was in assisted living at TenderCare, living close to but far enough away from his exasperated daughter. Never happy with growing old, he was a cantankerous grump who was always trying to escape his residence, even in his wheelchair. In spite of his antics and complaints, he remained a charmer to the end. Sipping his NA beer, eating his banana, hoarding peppermint patties, and giving most certainly poor advice, Joe was one of the staff's favorite residents. Go figure.

It's believed that Joe finally found his green pasture and forever home. Now he is attending the long awaited Mickey reunion with Marianne, Jeff, Mammy, Bill, Barbara, Nat, Gene, John Wayne and Hank Williams (honorary Mickeys).

Raise your glasses. Here's to Joe. Uncle Joe. Dad. Grandpa. Happy trails to you.