Joseph Adalbert Stanek Jr.'s Obituary
Joseph Adalbert Stanek, Jr. passed away on July 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 91, surrounded by family members.
Joe was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, on December 4, 1932, the only child of Joseph Adalbert Stanek, Sr. and Estelle Funk Stanek. Within his first year, the family moved to a poultry farm outside of Meshoppen, Pennsylvania, on a road that bears the family name to this day. He attended Meshoppen schools, graduating from Meshoppen High School in 1950 as Valedictorian.
Joe studied Animal Husbandry at Penn State University, graduating with a BS degree in 1954 and an MS in 1960. From 1954 through 1958, Joe was stationed with the US Coast Guard at Traverse City, Michigan, attaining the rank of 2nd Class Petty Officer.
From 1960 through 1963, Joe was a professor at Alfred Agricultural and Technical Institute in Alfred, New York. From 1963 through 1988 he was the Faculty Chairman of the Math/Science Department and award-winning teacher at Beaver River High School in Beaver Falls, New York, where he is fondly remembered for his Biology classes with lessons illustrated by fruit flies and baby chickens.
Joe married Anna Mae Banko in 1953 and they raised six children together. Their life in Northern New York was focused on family, raising animals, and organic gardening. Joseph and Anna Mae divorced in 1976 and in 1978 he married Marion Miskell of Rome, New York.
Joe and Marion moved for warmer weather to Tucson, Arizona in 1988, where Joe continued to teach Science, Math, and computer languages as an award-winning Adjunct Faculty member at Pima Community College.
When, at the age of 14, an uncle gave him a camera, Joe was hooked, avidly documenting life on the poultry farm, family members, and even a local train wreck. In his retirement he plunged back into photography with enthusiasm, building his own darkroom, winning several awards with local camera and photography clubs and later embracing digital editing.
Marion died in 2016, and in 2018 Joe moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to be near family, under the care of his daughter, Irene. Here Joe continued to enjoy his lifelong loves of model trains, reading, chocolate, and ice cream.
Joseph is survived by six children, thirteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren: Joseph Stanek III (Kavita) of Pasadena, California and his daughters Purnima Stanek and Mihira Stanek; Anne Marie Seymore (Clay) of Ammon, Idaho and her daughters Naomi Mignerey and Esther Mignerey (Ben), and grandson Nathaniel Pierce; Irene Stanek of Memphis, Tennessee and her sons Evan Veney, Colin Veney (Chinasa), granddaughter Quinn Veney, and Miles Veney; William Stanek (Jennifer) of Memphis, Tennessee and his children Emily Pollak (Corey), granddaughter Avila Pollak, Timothy Stanek, and Melanie Stanek; John Stanek of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, and children Kendra Stanek and Johnny Stanek; and Gerald Stanek (Joyce) of Oak View, California and his daughter Megan Zholtovski (Stefan) and granddaughter Chloe Zholtovski; stepchildren Jeffrey Miskell (Alison) of Kileen, Alabama, and Deborah Miskell of San Antonio, Texas, and step grandchildren Daniel Settle (Jaclyn) and Rachel Settle.
Flowers and cards can be sent to The Stanek Family, 5366 Brantford Road, Memphis, TN, 38120. Alternatively, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, or a tree may be planted in Joseph’s name.
A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date.
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