This site is a tribute to Joe, who was born in Lapeer, Michigan on November 19, 1979. He attended North Branch Schools and later the family moved to the Grayling area where he graduated from Grayling High School in 1998. He was active in sports playing football with the Grayling Redskins and all four years of Grayling Viking football. (he liked to remind us that he made the first touchdown on the new Ferguson field!) He was also on the wrestling team, and participated in weight lifting. He lived and worked in Michigan and stayed in the Grayling area for many years off and on, attending classes at Kirkland Community College, Lake Superior College, and worked at Lear Corporation in Roscommon. He never forgot his childhood connections and cherished his high school chums.

In later years he had moved to Oregon where he made many lifelong friends. Far too many to list here but you know who you are. In 2017 he accepted a job with North Pacific Seafoods working in NakNek Alaska on Bristol Bay, commercially fishing during the salmon season. It was hard work with very long hours but he enjoyed it and loved the wildness of Alaska. Sadly it was to be his last trip there and he passed away on his way back to Michigan in Anchorage on August 18th.

Joe was a beautiful soul, likeable, funny, I could go on and on. I liked to call him my ”citizen of the universe” because he took such pleasure in small, simple things, like sharing a piece of carrot cake or making his special “cheese dip.”

Joe was preceeded in death by his father, Ronald Woidan of Grayling in 2009, and is survived by his mother, Sandra,  a brother, Ron, and nephew Ron, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.He is also survived by his step father Frank, step-sister Donna, husband Pete, Darren and spouse Julie, Jason and Marie of the United Kingdom. Joe had an internationally blended family and they all were fond of Joe. We were all looking forward to future visits from Joe.

Whether you’re family, or friends...this is our place and space to voice our celebration and memories of Joe’s life. So feel free to post your thoughts, pictures and stories, ( I know there are many, many of those!). Visit whenever you wish.

We do not remember days, we remember moments. He was much loved and will always be remembered. 

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at a future date. Time and place TBA.