Joseph Allan Auth

1955 - 2022

Joseph Allan Auth

August 29, 1955 - February 10, 2022

Joe was born on August 29, 1955, in Bloomington, Illinois. He was raised and educated in Bloomington till 1972, when his family moved to Idaho, against his will. He was 17 and this was his senior year. So he secretly set out to hitchhike the 1500 miles back to Illinois. He camped out in the vacant and as yet unsold home of his childhood. Reluctantly, he became convinced he needed to plant himself not in Bloomington but in Twin Falls, Idaho. Joe was only 66 years old when he died suddenly of a massive heart attack on February 10, 2022. He had hoped to retire and maybe travel next year with his wife Colleen. He survived another heart attack about 11 years ago, but this time was not so fortunate.

Joe's career choices took several turns. He did graduate from high school and never looked back. He preferred to work with his hands and learned to sew. He became partners with Bill Rogers, who would later become his brother-in-law, and together they started an auto upholstery business in 1979, literally on a shoestring. Over the years they built a thriving business called Master Upholstery. Joe also did several show cars and had a name tag that said Doctor of Upholsterology, a homage to his degree in the school of hard knocks.

In 1984 he married Colleen Rogers in Twin Falls. They were married for 37 years and had one son, Damian.

In midlife, he decided to leave the upholstery business and started a new business with his friend Gary Swainston. They provided Jukeboxes and pool tables to several northside bars. It was a natural fit since he was a proficient pool player and had grown up in a bar, Auth's Tavern in Illinois, and he was very much into music. Later on, he bought out Gary and continued on his own. During that time he also had a business setting up, taking down, moving, and recovering pool tables.

He took up pool as an avocation in the late 70s and poured his whole body into the game. Joe played for several years in local pool leagues and tournaments. He became a BCA referee and also played in Las Vegas tournaments. Joe also had a knack for electronics. His garage/shop was his laboratory where he performed experiments in sound and lighting. He also just fixed stuff.

Later on, in life, Joe discovered that he liked to cook. He enjoyed traditional family recipes, but he would also get ideas from the internet. He would always ask for input, how does it taste, how does it look. But he had trouble leaving well enough alone, often combining a couple of recipes that should not have been combined. More often than not though he got "good marks".

His parents Phil and Marilyn both passed on in their early 90s this last decade.

He is survived by his wife, Colleen; his son Damian. His siblings, Philip (Suzanne), Marc (Kathi Denton), Eric (Paula), Lisa (Brad Miller), and Chris (Cheralyn); brothers-in-law James (Oh) Rogers, William Rogers; sister-in-law Yvonne Hmelevsky; several nieces, nephews, and great friends.

A Celebration of Life will happen sometime this spring, when friends and family will have a chance to gather, eat, and tell tall tales.