Joseph "Joe" Young Jr.

Joseph Young Jr., age 86, of La Farge passed away peacefully on March 4, 2023, at his home. He was born to Joseph Young Sr. and Aleda (Larson) Young in Viroqua. Joe attended elementary school at Fairview and went to high school in La Farge.

After high school, he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in Hutchison, Kansas. It was there that he met his wife, Joyce Hester. Some time after being married, they moved to Wisconsin and later bought the farm in Dell in 1967. It was there that they raised three children. Joe worked at Badger Ordinance for several years, while also raising beef and growing tobacco.

After the farm was paid for, he quit working for Badger and worked construction for a few different companies. He was involved in building the Viroqua hospital among other things. Joe also worked for Manlin Hughes, fixing and straightening barns and tobacco sheds. He later took over this business along with his nephew, Gary Nordin.

On May 5, 1989, Joe went into 30 day treatment for alcoholism. Joe learned how to live without alcohol by attending AA meetings, reading his big book, and connecting to his higher power. He and Joyce divorced later that year, but he stayed sober in spite of this hardship. Many of his new AA friends came to check up on him during this time. He was again tested in 1999, when his oldest son, Brian, was killed in a plane crash in Alaska. Through all this, he persevered, maintaining his sobriety. He spent the rest of his life going to meetings and helping others find their way to sobriety.

Joe continued in the barn and shed work, along with other various carpentry jobs, as well as raising beef and growing tobacco until his retirement.

Joe spent his “retirement” years being busier than his working years. He claimed he needed to get a job so he could get a day off! Whether it was bear hunting up north or fishing in Gays Mills, dad could always be found enjoying the outdoors when he wasn’t helping his kids with projects or someone else who needed help. He also enjoyed hunting mushrooms and ginseng.

He liked to give things away to people, like mushrooms and parsnips or whatever was in season. Joe was a good man who believed in hard work and honesty and did his best to pass these on to his children.

Joe is survived by his daughter, Jeanne (Loren) Kunert of De Soto; his son, Kelly (Kellie) Young of Bruce, Wisconsin; five grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brothers, John (Bonnie) Young and Roger (Janice) Young; and sisters, Mary Calloway and Darlene (Joe Fortney) Kerska.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe Sr. and Aleda Young; his son, Brian Young; his siblings: Robert Young, Jim Young, Anna Nordin, and Dolly Lisney; his in-laws: Clarence Nordin, Butch Calloway, and LaVerne Lisney; nephews, Bobbie Young and Rick Calloway; and a special friend, Jolene Nelson.

Joe’s family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. DeLine and Dr. Tamsen and all the medical staff at the La Farge Clinic.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Vosseteig Funeral Home in Westby. Pastor Mark Phillips will officiate. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 10, at Vosseteig Funeral Home in Westby. Additional visitation will be held Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services. Burial will be at the Brush Hollow Cemetery with full military honors. A luncheon will be held at the funeral home following the service.

Vosseteig Funeral Home & Crematory is serving Joe's family.

708 S. Main St.

Westby, WI 54667

608-634-2100