HAMILTON - Joseph Kochis died peacefully Saturday afternoon December 3, 2011, at Marcus Daly Hospice following a short illness.
Joseph Loring Kochis was born to Joseph and Mary Kochis in Long Beach, California, October 20, 1927. His family moved often, while his father worked construction across southern California, eventually settling in Grass Valley where Joe graduated from high school.
He enlisted in the navy for two tours of duty, at the end of WWII in 1945 aboard the destroyer escort USS Weber as a machinist, and in the Korean War on the oil tanker USS Tolovana . His family never tired of his stories about his extensive travels around the world.
With the GI bill, he attended Placer Junior College and studied electronics and general studies. Soon afterwards he met his future wife, Shirley Price, at a St Patrick's Day dance and they married in 1952. For the next 12 years he worked at Western Regional Research Lab in Albany as a stationary engineer before accepting a transfer in 1965 to Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton. He always considered this move as one of the best decisions he ever made for his family... and of course it was. He retired from the lab in 1982.
Joe thoroughly loved working on his farm and was known for his prize winning Gelbvieh bulls. He took great care of his animals and was recognized by the Bitterroot Humane Association in 1976 as rancher of the year. After retiring from the cattle business, he enjoyed his passions for photography, travelling, hiking in the beautiful Bitterroots, vegetable gardening, and in recent years became a regular at Canyon Gym . He took great pleasure sharing profits of his harvests with friends and family.
Joe loved the valley and the people living in it. He had many valued friendships, with special warm regard for Lawrence and Peggy Haas. Joe didn't have a selfish bone in his body and was always there with a helping hand. Most notably, he was a recipient of the Carnegie award in 1968 for act of heroism.
Joe is survived by his wife Shirley, his son John, daughter Janet and her son Matthew, daughters Sandra and Joanne with her husband Dave Paul, and their sons Alex and Jacob. He also leaves behind his beloved brother Robert Kochis , his sister-in-law, Juanice, along with their children (Mike, Tim, Pete and Jill and their families) and finally, by his two canine companions, Oliver and Belle.
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