Joseph Benjamin "Joe" Day

Joe Day, 79 of Bemidji passed away suddenly on Monday November 25th at his home.
Joseph Benjamin Day was born January 4, 1945, at the Cass Lake Indian Hospital to Joseph and Alice (Bruce) Day. Joe and his family lived in the native village of Onigum on the Leech Lake Reservation until he was 5 years old. The Day family moved into the nearby city of Walker, MN to be closer to school and work. He spent years with his many cousins playing ball, fishing, hunting, and just hanging out. His extended family is still close knit.
After graduating from Walker High school in 1963, Joe enrolled at Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, KS to become a machinist. After leaving Haskell two years later, Joe enlisted in the United States Navy to support our troops during the Vietnam War. He served as a Machinist Mate on the USS Ticonderoga aircraft carrier. While serving his 5 years in the Navy he sailed around the World several times over. This is where he was exposed to asbestos that would slow him down later in life.
Upon leaving the Navy, Joe came back to MN where he reconnected with Sherry Haase. The two married on January 17,1970 at the home of Sherry's parents in Ida Grove, IA. The couple made their way to Santa Clara, Calif where Joe had a job waiting at Coherent Technologies as a Quality Control Engineer working on their laser program. Three kids and 8 years later, Joe and Sherry moved back to Bemidji, MN where he worked for the MN Chippewa Tribe and Leech Lake Reservation. Joe served on the Bemidji School Board and as liaison between Native Tribes and the Department of National Resources. He served as the executive director of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council where he helped establish a place for 11 Tribal Nations and urban Indian communities to educate and advocate for their culture and self-governance. Former Governor Rudy Perpich declared Tuesday, January 30,1990, to be "Joe Day" Day in the State of Minnesota for "Service on the Governor's Task force on High level Radioactive Waste Depository; the Governor's Task Force on Open Enrollment; the Chancellor's Council on Cultural Diversity, Minnesota State University System; the Special Education Advisory Council, State Board of Education; the Multi-Culture, Gender -Fair Task Force State Board of Education; and the Indian Advisory Councils for the University of Minnesota at Morris, Bemidji State University, and Bemidji Technical College." In February 2002, then President William J Clinton selected Joe to be part of the United States Great Lakes Fisheries Council to help protect and manage The Great Lakes from a Native perspective.
Joe's last job was working at the MN Department of Corrections to bring Native culture into the prison system in the correct way and to raise cultural awareness for prison officials and inmates. He retired in 2008.
Joe loved his kids Dax, Danielle, and Nicole so much and with Sherry instilled pride in who they are and a sense of service for community. However, his pride and joy were his two grandchildren, Joseph and Emma two special spirits that needed guidance. Joe was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and a grandfather like presence for the many who needed him.
Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Alice (Bruce) Day; sisters, Josephine, Marlene, Carol, Maxine, and Betty; brothers, Clifford and Terry; plus numerous uncles, aunts, nephews, and nieces.
Joe is survived by his wife of nearly 55 years, Sherry; son, Dax Day; daughters, Danielle Day and Nicole Day-Lyons; grandson, Joseph Day; and granddaughter, Emma Day all of Bemidji, MN.
A Celebration of Joe's Life will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, November 30th, 2024, at the Onigum Community Center.
Joe's care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker, MN. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.northernpeace.com
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