Joseph (“Joe”) Boeker was born on March 23, 1945, in Lyons, Iowa, the son of Francis and Leora (Sodeman) Boeker. He was a lifelong resident of Lyons and parishioner of St. Irenaeus and Prince of Peace. Joe graduated from St. Mary’s High School, attended St. Ambrose College, and finished his undergraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of Iowa. For most of his professional career, he worked for the Fulton Corporation as a purchasing agent.
Joe had three main loves in his life: his family, his dogs, and his Fords. Joe never strayed far from his childhood home and was quite content to live his life there, proud to be able to take care of his parents as they lived well into their nineties. Living at home with his parents, he enjoyed the simple pleasures of homegrown tomatoes, strawberries, or cherries from the garden at dinner, taking his dog for multiple walks a day around the neighborhood, and a cold Pepsi in the refrigerator. During his parents’ retirement, they split their Summer time between Clinton and Delhi (“The Cabin”). Joe tended to the garden at home and made trips to the Cabin to help move all the comforts of home back and forth. Joe enjoyed taking his mother across the country on road trips for auto races or auto swap meets but stopped to see other historical sites.
In the Boeker household, there was only one breed of dog…Springer Spaniel and Joe was heartbroken earlier this year when Bailey passed, as Joe knew it would be his last dog. Each dog was special to Joe, and he spoke fondly of their distinct personalities, whether it was Buster eating tomatoes off the vine in the garden or the sheer brute strength of both body and will of Biffer, Benji came from “show dog” stock but flunked obedience school. For more than 60 years, Joe had a dog in his life. He nurtured and loved them all and reminisced in his final days as if they were his childhood best friends.
From an early age, Joe was obsessed with cars, and there was only one brand…Ford. Over the years, he bought, traded, and accumulated several vehicles, parts, and most importantly, memories of his time driving, fixing, modifying, learning about these machines, and yes…even racing them. Whether it was going to the Quad Cities to watch a race or look at a car he saw advertised for sale, heading down to the racetrack, or making lists of parts he needed to procure for a future project…that was what he lived for. Joe was completely self-taught through his voracious reading and consumption of Hot Rod magazine, auto manuals, and trial and error with his fellow auto enthusiasts, with whom he shared many great times and adventures. One of Joe’s dreams came true in the last 15 years when he was able to build a garage next to the house, on the site of the former garden, where he could put 3 of his 11 Fords and all of his tools.
Joe is survived by two nephews, Peter (Joan) Kobs of Naperville, IL, and Michael (Katie) Kobs of Mequon, WI, and one niece, Amy (Timothy) Summers of Schenectady, NY. His parents, his sister, Ann, and his 6 Springer Spaniels (Mike, Buster, Biffer, Benji, Barney, and Bailey) preceded him in death.
Joe’s life will be celebrated with a visitation from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 12th at the Pape Funeral Home. A Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Friday, October 13, 2023, at Prince of Peace Church in Clinton, Iowa. Burial will take place at Oakland Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at Rastrelli’s restaurant in Lyons.
Instead of flowers, please donate to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, as it was a very important cause to Joe. Make a gift to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).
