Joseph Willis

Joseph Willis, 52, a lifelong resident of Fort Pierce, Florida, passed away after suffering a heart attack on November 10, 2013 in his hometown just a few blocks from where he was born and raised. The tenth child of twelve children born to Thomas and Catherine (McKillen) Willis, newborn baby Joseph had his work cut out for him with the daunting task of having to carve out a name for himself and establishing his own identity in such a large family that was already richly loaded with highly spirited characters and players. Miraculously, even with such overwhelming numbers stacked against him and against all odds, Joseph actually managed to succeed in doing just that … established his own identity and carved out a loving and lasting memory into the hearts and minds of not just his own family but into the hearts and minds of all who came to know him. With his older siblings having already staked out a loud and energetic approach to life in a large family, Joseph chose a much more serene approach to life in a large family by instead opting for a quieter path with a quieter voice and a quieter manner about him. Joseph didn’t get excited … about anything. Period. In fact, with so much boundless energy contained under one roof and with no place to hide, Joseph could be found sitting calmly and quietly in the midst of it all smiling and patiently waiting to throw his hat into the ring. And when he did, he would usually turn everyone’s heads. Joseph was very intelligent and very witty and would often have his older siblings stinging, stammering and stumbling for a response to something he would say ... with no success. The quiet approach fooled everyone. Underneath that innocent, quiet demeanor … laid in wait … a red headed Irish warrior ready to engage in a battle of wits with everyone and anyone who dared to challenge him. It didn’t take long for the nine loud and energetic children ahead of him to realize they needed to give their little baby brother a very wide berth. Joseph’s mother and father where industrial strength Roman Catholics who took their children to church every Sunday and sent their children to Saint Anastasia Elementary School and John Carroll High School in Fort Pierce. During those 12 years of Catholic education, Joseph was a good student who loved learning about the world around him. He also took very seriously the lessons and teachings of Jesus Christ and incorporated them into the very fabric of his being. Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul”. Joseph did not care too much for material things … but the sanctity and purity of his soul was everything to him. Joseph grew into a happy, gentle, soft spoken man who would literally give you the shirt off his back. Joseph cared. He cared a lot. If you were down on your luck … Joseph was right there. His kind heart and gentle ways would sometimes leave him without but you would never hear him complain. Possessions meant nothing to him ... making sure that everyone had what they needed ... did. He was known as a giver, not a receiver. Like his brothers and sisters before him, Joseph worked at his family owned furniture store, Tom’s Furniture, in Fort Pierce, Fl. There he learned the ethics and rewards of a hard day’s work and never once shied away from putting on his boots and putting his shoulder into whatever task lay before him. Joseph amazed people with his strength and agility and became known as the family work horse. If you tried to outdo Joseph, you were in for a long, long day because Joseph didn’t quit when he was tired … he quit when he was done. Joseph left Fort Pierce once for a brief period on a walkabout that landed him in Las Vegas, Nevada where he first worked as a roofer, in the hot desert sun, and later in the casinos as a short order cook. When Joseph didn’t phone home for a while, a search party was sent out to find him. His former roofing boss was located and asked about Joseph’s whereabouts. He remarked, “I don’t know where Joe is now, but if you find him, please tell him to come back. He was the hardest worker I ever had”. Joseph was eventually located happily working in a casino and just about done with his walkabout. He soon returned to Fort Pierce and resumed a quiet life working here and there and generally just kicking back enjoying life until the day he died. Joseph never married and left behind no children but in a sense he was married and did have children. He was married to the idea that his fellow man was his extended family and that it was his responsibility to care for all like they were his own children. And he did. Even though he had no children, Joseph turned out to be a great father. This quiet man with the big heart left behind a legacy of love, kindness, compassion and caring for others rarely seen these days. With Joseph, it was always about you ... not him. Are we sad that Joey has left us so early? Yes, we are. But we all look forward to meeting Joey one day on the avenue and not be tangled up in blue. We love you Joey and we’ll see you on the other side real soon. Keep the faith. Joseph was preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Catherine Willis and brothers William Jude Willis and Daniel Willis. He is survived by his sisters Ann Houk, Kathy Anderson, Mary Rose and Eileen Willis and by his brothers Thomas, James, Michael, John and Edward Willis.