I as so many others spent a lot of my childhood at Baptist Tabernacle. Brother Joe baptised me, and I will never forget that. Even though my path hasn't gone the way I would have liked it to always, I take faith in Brother Joes life and believe that we are all here for a reason and that his reason was to touch so many lives in one way or another. May he have the love and peace he earned in life.

Dear Dad:

America woke up this morning to a new era of historic significance, having witnessed a moment of grace and redemption last night. In 76 days we will inaugurate an African-American for President in this great country called the United States.

Not since Neil Armstrong took one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, have we celebrated with such collective diversity.

I thought about how you would have felt such an enormous sense of pride and hope for the future having fought so hard for equality and justice. We are a different nation today, charged with an ideal of government of the people, by the people, and for the people, penned by Abraham Lincoln in a similar time of great crisis, 145 years ago.

Taylor Branch wrote that as color defines vision, race shapes the cultural eye—what we do and do not notice is the reach of empathy and the alignment of response. You dared to dream of a world where compassion defeats apathy and tolerance reaches out to recognize that we are all created equal as children of God.

I thank you for the wonderful example of your life as you consistently sought to advocate for the impoverished and dedicated your ministry to the under privileged in society. You inspired me to be that best I can be and remember the importance of maintaining my integrity.

I miss you very much.

Your middle son.

As I read through everything people have to say about my great-Uncle Joe, I am humbled to have been a part of his family. When someone is family, you forget sometimes to think about their impact on others. I knew he was a great man, a kind man, and a man who lived life with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and smile on his face. He meant a lot to his family, my family. I take such comfort in my conviction that he is in a better place, able to lay eyes on the one he served for so long, and making it a better place for the rest of us, as he did while he was on this earth. I miss you, Uncle Joe.

I really enjoyed the time I spent at BSU in Murray with Brother Joe. He was a true inspriation to me and many others.

Emily, I just learned of Joe's death today. Jim McMurtrie told me. Martha Nell and I loved you and joe. God bless you and the sons. Love, Hughlan Richey