God’s plan never ceases to amaze us, and so it is with His plan for you. He gave you to us for too brief a time, but as with all that you did, you quickly made a positive impact on our family, in our hearts and lives.  These memories will live with us all forever.

We came to know you about fifteen years ago. Our relationship grew into a mutual love and respect  for each other with every year that passed. You loved our daughter and the beautiful boys you shared beyond any parent’s dreams. How well we remember Daniel’s birth and then Raymond’s.  Thank you for sharing them with us.  You are the kind of person everyone is proud to say they know, to have in their life.   All the people we have met had the same message.  You thought about everyone, every detail and were sincerely concerned for each one.  Aaron keeps his Spider Man flash light in a safe place, because” ‘Uncle Joe gave that to me”.  

Joe, all of your children are the people you worked so hard for them to be.  They are all wonderful gifts from God, from you, and I know you watch over each one with loving thoughts. 

However, we’re having a tough time. You are teaching us all yet another lesson. We have a vision of you throwing a ball on Lull Street, playing video games, watching TV toooooo loud, hugging your wife, heckeling your adult children, eating quickly and cleaning up the dishes, and joking with the people who love you and miss you so much.

We also know you want us all to heal and get on with our lives, difficult as it might be to do so. We’ll  do our best to make your wishes for us come true, because they are ours as well.

We love you,  Ray and Barbara