Joseph Black

Joseph W. Black

January 3, 1934 ~ September 25, 2015

Joseph William Black passed peacefully from this world on September 25, 2015.  Joe was an enthusiastic builder, a talented artist, a devoted teacher, a conscientious father, and, above all, a loving husband.  He was a tall, strong man with an impish grin and he was always eager to help others.

Joe was born on January 3, 1934 in Glendale, UT to Andrew Clarence Black and Sarah Matilda Biddlecome Black as the youngest in their large family.  Joe grew up in Glendale, UT, St. George, UT, and Henderson, NV. He attended high school in Ogden. On May 29, 1952 he married the love of his life, Sherry Davis, and together they raised six children. Joe served in the U.S. Army. They moved to Henderson, and N. Las Vegas, where Joe worked at the Nevada Test Site for years.

In 1967 Joe and Sherry moved their growing family to Albuquerque, NM.  Joe received his BA and MA in Industrial Arts Education from the University of New Mexico.  He taught “shop” in Albuquerque until he retired in 1986.  He built four houses in New Mexico during the years he lived there.  He was always looking for new designs or innovative construction ideas. Joe always had a project or three underway.  On top of frequent remodeling or building projects, Joe kept busy with his many hobbies.  He was skilled at sculpting, painting, canning, quilting, gardening, and ceramics. He loved reading old westerns, camping, and fishing.

After Joe and Sherry retired, they enjoyed traveling. They also lived in Quartzsite, AZ where Joe served for 9 years as the Branch President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was his favorite calling of his life in spite of the challenges of leading a congregation where the attendance at church services went from a handful of people in the summer to over 700 in January.  Joe was loved by branch members for his humor and his dedication.  They moved to Ogden where Joe cared tenderly for his beloved wife until she passed away in January 2010.

Joe was preceded to heaven by his wife, Sherry; granddaughter, Carlyn; his parents, and brothers and sisters, Nellie, Mamie, George, Allen, Lew, Wilford, Dorothy Mae, Olive, and Lyle and their spouses.  He will be deeply missed by his children, Suzanne (Christopher) Cavan, Lenny (Kathie) Black, Julie (Lyle) Hill, Kelly (Jeff) Stringer, Jeanette (Tim) March, and Nellee (J. Tristan) Thompson; 28 grandchildren, and 54 great-grandchildren; and his best friend/nephew Bob (Marilyn) Covington. He deeply appreciated the loving care given to him by his nephews and their wives Calvin (Charlene) Black and Jeff (Kim) Prisbrey.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 12 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley 4th Ward, 850 East 5600 South, Ogden.  Friends may visit with family on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.  and Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church.  Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.