Joe Scott Kaplan

1963 - 2018

April 20, 1963 - July 27, 2018
Joe Kaplan unexpectedly passed away on July 27th, 2018 while on holiday in Bermuda.
Joseph Scott Kaplan was born on April 20th, 1963 to Jerry and Sue Kaplan in Panorama City, California.  At the age of 8, Joe moved with his family to Encino, CA, where he spent all of his childhood.  Then known as "Joey," he attended Encino Elementary School, Portola Jr. High School and then spent three years at Harvard School. He left Harvard his senior year for Birmingham High School, where as a new student, he became the student body president (who does that? Joe Kaplan does).  There he met his high school sweetheart, Judi Cohen, who he married in 1986.  Joe was an accomplished football player, starting Pop Warner at the age of 8, an avid baseball player and one of the best broomball players known to man.   
Upon high school graduation, Joe attended UCLA where he was part of the ZBT fraternity.  There he would be always known as "Big Joe."  He was an active fraternity member where he forged incredibly deep relationships with the most incredible friends, most to whom he remained loyal and indebted.    
Upon graduation, Joe and Judi married and moved to Joplin, MO, where Joe worked for his then father-in-law at Service Packing, learning the ropes of the family meat business.  There, they had their incredible son, Brandon Hunter Kaplan and became a family.  The Kaplans moved back home to Encino and had their second child, a beautiful daughter who they named Danielle Morgan Kaplan.  Joe quickly learned that the meat business wasn't for him and he decided to enroll in law school.  While there, he started working in sales for Cardservice International and found his true calling.  Sensing an opportunity, Joe quickly ditched law school and in 1994, quit his job working at Cardservice and co-founded a company with his pal, Tim Jochner, which they called Superior Bankcard Service (SBS), where they had the foresight to ride the beginning of a technology wave that most people didn't see coming.  Joe and Tim were off to the races.  In less than a year, SBS became the 12th largest non-bank acquirer in the United States.  Joe and Tim eventually sold that company and in 1999 co-founded a second company which they named Innovative Merchant Solutions with their partners, Joe's childhood friend, Mike Hennesy and Jochner's childhood buddy, Steve Chappell.  Four years after that, Innovative was bought by the public company Intuit.  
While Joe and Judi had their amazing children that they cherished together, sometimes marriages don't always last and Joe and Judi, in 2006 had what we now call a "conscious uncoupling."    
Later, Joe met Elizabeth McAdams (Kaplan) and together, they fell in love.  Joe and Elizabeth had a passionate relationship and married in Mexico in 2008. They shared many great adventures together but the greatest adventure they could embark on together was the birth of their son.  On September 2nd, 2009, Parker Joshua Kaplan was born and Joe and Elizabeth had the most wonderful family together.    
Joe was so proud of his children.  They were literally his best friends. He was a fixture in all of their sporting events, dance recitals, plays and karate.  He was so in love with his children and all of them had this amazing resemblance to Joe and to each other.  Joe was committed to their happiness and committed to their love.  He was so proud of Brandon's work ethic and his current business venture as well as his work partner Danielle and her new marriage to the incredible Kevin Marco, and the adults that they have become. His son Parker was the love of his life.  He would talk about how proud he was of Parker's intelligence and humor. My, how he loved his kids.  How he loved Elizabeth.  How he loved his family.  Joe Kaplan wasn't yet ready to go.
Joe leaves behind his beautiful wife Elizabeth Kaplan and his amazing and loyal children Brandon Kaplan, Danielle Marco (Kaplan) and her husband, Kevin and his youngest son, Parker Kaplan.  Joe leaves behind his loving mother, Sue and now, (much too soon), joins his predeceased father, Jerry Kaplan.  Joe was also so loved by his closest friends and heartbroken siblings – his sister Michelle Nagel (Kaplan) and her husband, Phil and his brother Aaron Kaplan and his wife Blaire. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Mark Mcadams, Jr. and his wife Carrie, Jeffery McAdams and his wife Lisa, and Brandon McAdams. His sisters-in-law Victoria Cervini, Maria Cervini, and Sarah McAdams.   
Joe was an incredible uncle to his many nieces and nephews.  He was a great son-in-law to Mark McAdams, Sr., Marlene Scariano and Maria LaGuardia Cervini.   
Joe will also be known as a FRIEND.  There are literally thousands of people who are better people for having met Joe Kaplan.  He was immensely loyal to his posse of buddies who he has been friends with for over 40 years and he was arguably one of the most dynamic bosses in all of America, loving his employees and treating them like his family.  Joe will be sorely missed by them.  
Joe Kaplan was larger than life – Joe Kaplan loved his life – Joe Kaplan loved his time on earth.  Now is his time to rest and look after all of us, helping to keep us safe.  
Joe Kaplan may have passed away but he will never be forgotten.    
We love you, Joe.
Services will be held at Mount Sinai Memorial Park - 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles 90068 on Monday, August 6th at 9am in the TaNaCH Chapel.
To view the webcast of the service, click the View Service button below and enter the password in the indicated area.
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