Joe C. Tiffany

Tiffany, Joe C.

Joe C. Tiffany was born on May 18, 1919 to Fred R. and Olive M. (Stubbs) Tiffany in Beloit, Wisconsin. Joe grew up in Monticello, Wisconsin, graduating from Madison East High School in 1936. He later went on to pursue an Associate Degree in Business Administration and Accounting at Madison College, graduating in 1940. Joe also met his first wife, Gertrude V. Towner, at the college, and the couple married on September 20, 1941.

In the first few years since graduating from Madison College, Joe worked in the General Accounting Department of Commonwealth Telephone Co. in Wausau, the Revenue Accounting Department of Illinois Commercial Telephone Co. in Olney, Illinois, and was an Assistant Auditor at the Revenue Accounting Center, also in Wausau.

In May 1942, Joe enlisted in the US Army and was sent to the Anti Aircraft Replacement Training Center of Camp Wallace, Texas, where he served in the Personnel Section, testing and assigning recruits for training. In January 1944, he was transferred to the Service Company, 407th Infantry Regiment Personnel Records. In June of 1944, his regiment left for Fort Dix, New Jersey to prepare for duty in Europe. In September 1944 his regiment left for France, landing at Cherbourg, France. As part of the 9th Army, they fought through the Netherlands and Germany, ending on the Elbe River in April 1945 to wait for the Russians to arrive on the East Bank. After being in the Army of Occupation, Joe returned home on December 15th to Wyocena. Joe was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service and the Combat Infantry Man's Badge.

In January 1946, Joe resumed his position in Wausau at the Commonwealth Telephone Co. In 1952, Joe joined Franklin Savings & Loan as an Assistant Secretary, later becoming Secretary and member of the Board of Directors in 1963. In 1977 Joe was appointed Vice President and member of the Advisory Board after Franklin Savings & Loan merged with Security Savings & Loan Association of Milwaukee. Joe retired in 1984.

Joe and Gertrude were dedicated members of First Presbyterian Church of Wausau, joining in 1942. Joe served on many boards of the church including deacon, elder, trustee, treasurer and Church School Superintendent, choir, men's chorus, and ushering. Joe also served on the Samoset Boy Scout Council as treasurer for 12 years, and then as a trustee, receiving the Silver Beaver Award. He was a member of the Wausau Rotary Club for 38 years and received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Also, he was a member of the Wausau Elks Club for 23 years, and the American Legion Club for 21 years.

Joe and Gertrude were avid travelers, visiting Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and other countries throughout Western Europe, as well as all 50 states in the US. Many trips were taken with Lewis and Marie Sheerar, close family friends who also shared family camping trips. Traveling allowed Joe to pursue one of his other passions—photography. Joe took thousands of pictures throughout his life, and he delighted in showing photographs and slides to his family, friends, colleagues, and even school groups.

Joe always enjoyed going to the Wausau Mine twice a month with his friends Bryan, Dan, Larry, Dale and Erv. They had all worked together at Security Bank and continued spending time together after his retirement. Joe was also a bird-lover and gardener, and he was always up for a game of cribbage.

Joe was preceded in death by his loving wife, Gertrude, his parents, an infant sister, his brothers, Noel Tiffany and Robert Tiffany, and his step parents, Henry and Emma Severson. He is survived by his children Jeffrey Tiffany and significant other Nancy Floyd, Carolyn (Tiffany) Harms, Thomas and Michele Tiffany, and Peter Tiffany and wife Diane Adamski, nephew David and Ruth Southworth, grandchildren Brian and Michelle Harms, Greg Harms, Ann and Ray Hessil, Pamela and Tim Koch, Elizabeth Tiffany; great-grand children Thomas Hessil, Emma Hessil, Carson Koch, Kiley Koch, Connor Koch, Kristina Harms & Derek Harms.

On November 11, 1995 Joe married Frances (Voegeli) Hoskins of Monticello, Wisconsin. Joe and Fran knew each other from their school days in Monticello, and they reunited after the passing of Gertrude. They spent 13 happy years together before Fran's passing in 2008. Joe is survived by his step children, Douglas and Dianne Hoskins and Jean and Rich Bloomberg; step grandchildren, Sarah and Pat Gibbs, Anne and Brian Veit, Carissa Hoskins and significant other Vinny, and Jessica and Bobby Woznicki, and nine step great grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 AM, Monday, February 24, 2014 at First Presbyterian Church, 406 Grant Street, Wausau, Wisconsin. Reverend Joy M. Nelson-Jeffers will be officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM until the time of services, all at the church. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Cemetery after the service. Online condolences may be given at www.brainard-funeral.com

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 406 Grant St., Wausau.