Joe Travis Hart

1932 - 2021

March 27, 1932 - November 19, 2021 Joe Travis Hart passed peacefully, on November 19 2021, at home, surrounded by his loving family after a brief battle with cancer.
Joe (Travis to family) was born in Holtville, California the oldest child of Joseph Edward and Ruth Hart on March 27, 1932. Joe spent his childhood in Holtville, El Centro, Hemet and finally in Cardiff by the Sea, graduating from San Dieguito High School in 1950. After high school, Joe enrolled in San Diego State University, however his education was interrupted by being drafted into the army. Joe spent two years in Germany as a P.F.C., where, as he described it, he "manned a typewriter" as a company clerk. During his stint in the army he toured Germany and Italy and tasted his first wines (he came from a teetotaling family), memories of this wine and the setting in which he tasted them would greatly affect him later in life. After his army days, Joe returned to San Diego where he completed his studies at San Diego State, graduating with a degree in Political Science and a teaching credential.
In 1955 Joe met Nancy Perrine, of Escondido, through a church function and they were married in 1957. After a move to Fullerton Ca., Joe began his teaching career. Upon returning to San Diego, Joe took a break from teaching to work at Scripps Institute of Oceanography where he served as a Lab Technician.
After his stint at Scripps Joe returned to teaching and in 1968, along with his young family, (Nancy and his three sons; Jimmy, Michael and Billy) moved to Carlsbad, where he taught at Pine School and Valley Jr High School. Joe was a beloved teacher; former students continued to visit him even later in life, often recounting how Joe had been their favorite teacher.
Joe's interest in wine, which had been sparked by those memorable first glasses in Europe was re-kindled after the families move to Carlsbad and Joe began to add wine to his daily dinners with his wife. This led to numerous visits to Northern California (Napa and Sonoma), to buy wine as well as almost weekly visits to local wineries (there were only a couple in those days), principally Brookside Winery, which had a tasting room in Escondido, and where Joe first tasted wines from the yet to emerge young wine region of Temecula.
In 1973 Joe and Nancy purchased 13 acres in Temecula with the idea of growing grapes to make wine at home (Joe was by now a budding home winemaker). Joe began taking extension classes in winemaking at U.C. Davis and as his interest grew, some say obsession, Joe decided he wanted to change careers, opening Hart Winery in Temecula in 1980. Hart Winery quickly gained a reputation as one the premium producers of red wine in Southern California. Hart Winery is still in business and has maintained that reputation to this day; a testament to Joe's hard work and vision. Hart Winery wines have won countless Best of Class, Best of Show, Double Gold and Gold medals throughout the years. A mentor to many others in the region, Joe spent many years as a wine judge, and serving as an unofficial ambassador for the Temecula Valley. Joe ran Hart Winery nearly until his passing; driving from Carlsbad to Temecula almost daily until age 87.
In addition to his love of wine, Joe loved to travel and spend time with his family. Countless family camping trips were spent in the Eastern Sierra, throughout the Southwest, and in Mexico. Joe backpacked the Sierra with his family, and later with his sons, completing the John Muir Trail and climbing (almost) every East Side pass in the Eastern Sierra. Joe loved to fish, often from his small boat launched from remote beaches in Baja. Later, Joe obtained his private pilots license, (his father had been a pilot), bought a small plane and Nancy and Joe would fly their small Cessna 170b, landing on remote airstrips and beaches of Baja where they would camp on the beach, explore and fish. Later in life Joe continued to travel throughout the Southwest, he and Nancy loved to visit Native American sites, trading posts and collecting handcrafts. Joe and Nancy spent much of their time, in their later years, at their cabin on Bishop Creek in Joe's beloved Eastern Sierra, where Joe would hike, fly-fish and just spend time in the mountains, often with family or friends.
We will miss our beloved husband, dad, grandpa, and great grandpa. We will miss his wit, his puns and jokes, his encyclopedic memory of places and family history. We will miss his depth of knowledge (on practically everything), his wisdom and advice (not always wanted, but often right). We will miss sharing meals, conversation, laughter and good wine with Joe and our family.
Joe Travis is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nancy of Carlsbad, his son Jim (Christine) of Oceanside, his son Mike (Denise) of Oceanside, two sisters; Anne, of Carlsbad, and Jane (Gib) of Grass Valley, his grandchildren; Carrie (Evan) of Oceanside, Chris (Lindsey) of Carlsbad, Ryan ((Danielle) of Escondido, Michelle (Brian) of Joshua Tree, Brandon (Madalyn) of Vista, and five great-grandchildren. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Ruth Hart, a Sister Marcia, his Son Bill, and a great-grandson Tommy.
No formal service are planned, however an informal celebration of life is forthcoming. In lieu of flowers or cards Joe requested donations in his name to the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood or Brother Benno's in Oceanside.