Joe Woodworth

Joe A. Woodworth died peacefully at home Friday evening, Dec. 27, 2013.

He was born July 20, 1917, in Anaconda to Josiah and Bessie Woodworth, the youngest of four children.

He was preceded in death by his brother John; his parents; half-brother Miles; half-sister Della, and his first wife Margaret (Hannifin) Woodworth.

Joe is survived by his current wife, Jewell Woodworth of Escondido. Calif.; son Roger (Patty) of Hayden, Idaho; daughter Janel (Terry Cole) of Missoula; two granddaughters, Andrea (Winslow) Lewis of Missoula and Kara Cook of Stevensville, and two great-granddaughters, Taylor and Rylee Cook of Stevensville.

Joe lived in the Big Hole with his family until they moved to Missoula in 1927, when he was in grade school. He graduated from Missoula County (now Hellgate) High School, working part-time at the Missoula Mercantile Co. while attending classes. He met and married Margaret Hannifin when they went to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and eloped along with Virginia "Gini" and Dick DuVall on the Aug. 31, 1940.

He continued working for Missoula Mercantile Co. until World War II broke out and he decided to enlist. He was accepted into the Army Air Corps where he was selected for officers' training school located in Fort Myers, Fla., and became a Lieutenant and later a Major. In 1946, he was assigned to General Supply Officer for the European Division Air Transport Command. His wartime experience gave him the training for future business endeavors. His military experience may have been the first time he recognized that he was a very lucky man and began referring to himself as "Lucky Joe."

After the war, Joe returned to Missoula joining his dad in running a grocery store located on the north side of Missoula. He became the president of Rocky Mountain Freezer Company, a restaurant equipment business located in Billings, Missoula and Spokane. In 1960, the business was sold to Brody of Seattle. Joe retired to Polson in 1972 where he became active in the Polson Senior Center and Conservation of Flathead Lake. In 2001, Joe married his second wife, Jewell.

In his younger years, Joe enjoyed all that the Montana outdoors had to offer from fishing and hunting to hiking, golfing, waterskiing and boating. He was family historian and a gifted story teller who enjoyed sharing many memories with family and friends, old and new alike. He was much loved and will be missed by many, but especially by his family.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Case Management Caregivers and Partners Hospice and Katie and Dr. Irhig from CMC Parkside for the care our father received during the last year of his life.

A celebration of his life will take place at 2 p.m. Jan. 10, at Garden City Funeral Home, 1705 West Broadway. A reception will follow the ceremony.

Read Joe Woodworth's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.