Joseph F. Dragosh

Joe was born August 24, 1933, and was raised in the historical Strawberry Hill Community of Kansas City, KS. His hard working and dedicated mother, Emma Dragosh, was his lifelong role model, setting the disciplines that guided his life. He was very proud of his Slovenian heritage.

Joe attended Holy Family grade school, Wyandotte High School, and Kansas City, Kansas Community College. He was drafted into the US Military (army) and served with 499th Combat Engineers with the rank of Corporal, in Karlsruhe, Germany, and was honorably discharged in 1955. He was proud to have served his country.

In November or 1955, he applied for a job with Swift & Company, a Fortune 100 company, with intent to return to school. He was hired and worked in the department of production standards for two years, after which he applied for a sales job in the industrial adhesives division of the company, where he spent 38 years until his retirement in 1995.

Joe transferred to Tulsa, OK in 1957 with sales responsibilities in Oklahoma and Arkansas, then back to Kansas City to serve the Kansas and Missouri markets. He was transferred to Charlotte, NC in October of 1965 and sold in NC, SC, and VA for 4 ½ years. He met Dottie in 1967 and they were married in 1970. She was the love of his life. Dottie had three children from a previous marriage, Derrick, Mark, and Diana Stone, who resided in the Southeast all of their lives. Joe was transferred to Los Angeles, CA in 1969, and to Chicago in 1971 to assist the VP and General Manager of the adhesive division. He then served as Product and Market Manager for thermoplastic adhesives, during which time he was involved in advertising, trade shows, and sales training. In 1977, Joe was sent to Atlanta, GA as Southeast Regional Manager. In 1985 he was appointed to Eastern US Zone Manager, with responsibility for 5 regions and 6 manufacturing plants.

Joe was an avid upland game bird hunter. He started pheasant hunting in 1956 and missed tow seasons in 65 years. Hunting the “wizard of the wheat patch” was a great passion of his. Corn fields, high weed draws, ditches, milo strips, cut bean fields, and wheat stubble provided relief from everyday news and pressures of life. Camaraderie with his hunting buddies, Pete Britz, Roger McCall, and farmer friend, Mike Gatton, were priceless relationships that spanned over 30 years.

Childhood life on Strawberry Hill was both adventurous and educational. The streets, alleys, and sand lots were the playgrounds where lifelong relationships were forged. The professional stock that came from his neighborhood was impressive.

Joe liked guns, and learned to target shoot with his Red Ryder BB gun at age 8. He graduated to a .22 rifle and started hunting rabbits at his uncle’s farm in Wea, KS. In basic training, he recorded the highest score in his battalion on the rifle range, one mark off from a perfect score.

Joe returned to Kansas City in 1990, still working, and started the program for National Account Strategies. He was presented with the company’s Eagle Award in 1993, representative of the adhesive division’s top employee. Joe was connected throughout all departments of the company. He shared successes and represented his company with the professionalism expected of an industry leader.

A sports enthusiast, he absolutely was. Joe played for the City Champions basketball and fast pitch softball teams in Kansas City, KS, and Charlotte, NC. By accident, he got involved in table tennis at age 12. He was introduced to competitive table tennis, and the result was 68 titles in the junior division, Men’s singles, Men’s doubles, and Mixed doubles, 54 of which were United States Table Tennis Association, sanctioned events. He won open men’s singles titles in KS, MO, NE, IA, and NC. In Missouri Valley team competition, his win-loss record over 3 years was 29:1. Joe credited Herb Conner for introducing him to competition that developed and honed his competitive skills. Don Bales and Bill Guilfoil also coached and mentored Joe, both of whom were top players in their own right.

Joe was very proud to have a close lifelong friend in Don Lipovac, a world class accordionist, bandleader, arranger, and teacher. As kids, they were inseparable. His dear friend Walt Zuk, a champion weight lifter at age 55, could be depended on anytime, anyplace, no questions asked…. A champion of a

Joe was born August 24, 1933, and was raised in the historical Strawberry Hill Community of Kansas City, KS. His hard working and dedicated mother, Emma Dragosh, was his lifelong role model, setting the disciplines that guided his life. He was very proud of his Slovenian heritage.

Joe attended Holy Family grade school, Wyandotte High School, and Kansas City, Kansas Community College. He was drafted into the US Military (army) and served with 499th Combat Engineers with the rank of Corporal, in Karlsruhe, Germany, and was honorably discharged in 1955. He was proud to have served his country.

In November or 1955, he applied for a job with Swift & Company, a Fortune 100 company, with intent to return to school. He was hired and worked in the department of production standards for two years, after which he applied for a sales job in the industrial adhesives division of the company, where he spent 38 years until his retirement in 1995.

Joe transferred to Tulsa, OK in 1957 with sales responsibilities in Oklahoma and Arkansas, then back to Kansas City to serve the Kansas and Missouri markets. He was transferred to Charlotte, NC in October of 1965 and sold in NC, SC, and VA for 4 ½ years. He met Dottie in 1967 and they were married in 1970. She was the love of his life. Dottie had three children from a previous marriage, Derrick, Mark, and Diana Stone, who resided in the Southeast all of their lives. Joe was transferred to Los Angeles, CA in 1969, and to Chicago in 1971 to assist the VP and General Manager of the adhesive division. He then served as Product and Market Manager for thermoplastic adhesives, during which time he was involved in advertising, trade shows, and sales training. In 1977, Joe was sent to Atlanta, GA as Southeast Regional Manager. In 1985 he was appointed to Eastern US Zone Manager, with responsibility for 5 regions and 6 manufacturing plants.

Joe was an avid upland game bird hunter. He started pheasant hunting in 1956 and missed tow seasons in 65 years. Hunting the “wizard of the wheat patch” was a great passion of his. Corn fields, high weed draws, ditches, milo strips, cut bean fields, and wheat stubble provided relief from everyday news and pressures of life. Camaraderie with his hunting buddies, Pete Britz, Roger McCall, and farmer friend, Mike Gatton, were priceless relationships that spanned over 30 years.

Childhood life on Strawberry Hill was both adventurous and educational. The streets, alleys, and sand lots were the playgrounds where lifelong relationships were forged. The professional stock that came from his neighborhood was impressive.

Joe liked guns, and learned to target shoot with his Red Ryder BB gun at age 8. He graduated to a .22 rifle and started hunting rabbits at his uncle’s farm in Wea, KS. In basic training, he recorded the highest score in his battalion on the rifle range, one mark off from a perfect score.

Joe returned to Kansas City in 1990, still working, and started the program for National Account Strategies. He was presented with the company’s Eagle Award in 1993, representative of the adhesive division’s top employee. Joe was connected throughout all departments of the company. He shared successes and represented his company with the professionalism expected of an industry leader.

A sports enthusiast, he absolutely was. Joe played for the City Champions basketball and fast pitch softball teams in Kansas City, KS, and Charlotte, NC. By accident, he got involved in table tennis at age 12. He was introduced to competitive table tennis, and the result was 68 titles in the junior division, Men’s singles, Men’s doubles, and Mixed doubles, 54 of which were United States Table Tennis Association, sanctioned events. He won open men’s singles titles in KS, MO, NE, IA, and NC. In Missouri Valley team competition, his win-loss record over 3 years was 29:1. Joe credited Herb Conner for introducing him to competition that developed and honed his competitive skills. Don Bales and Bill Guilfoil also coached and mentored Joe, both of whom were top players in their own right.

Joe was very proud to have a close lifelong friend in Don Lipovac, a world class accordionist, bandleader, arranger, and teacher. As kids, they were inseparable. His dear friend Walt Zuk, a champion weight lifter at age 55, could be depended on anytime, anyplace, no questions asked…. A champion of a person.

Joe’s wife Dottie was a steadying force in his career, unhesitant to give up good jobs and to accommodate moving related to Joe’s promotions. She kept him grounded and focused until her passing in 2001.

Joe’s favorite social environment was Holy Family Social Club. A dance where Don Lipovac was playing was a magnet for his friends to gather for a great time. The club was also a catalyst for sports…. Basketball and fast pitch softball. He was pulled in golf at age 40, and became an avid golfer, which he effectively used developing business relationships that lasted long after he retired. His business model was, “business development through people development.” His personal style was to be candid and to the point. He was adept at integrating humor to defuse tension or draw attention to decision misallocations. “It takes real talent to screw up big-time.” On occasion, he was known to use frosty vernacular in both humorous and serious situations, always with a straight face. A tribute paid to Joe by one of his superiors called him “a man of all seasons”. He considered his personal and business relationships his greatest asset, next to his family.

Joe moved to Mission Square, a retirement community in Misson, KS in 2013. He was a part of a community where he made friends easily, and he formed relationships that he valued and cherished. He sated many times, “I’ve had more than my share of luck in life, and I owe a lot to a lot of good people who gave me sound advice.” Much of the advice given to him by experienced people lent itself to the same thought process: “Don’t drift from sound principals and values that win in the long haul. You can’t beat plain vanilla.”

Joe is survived by his sister Carol McCarty of Lenexa, KS, his nephews Gary McCarty (Mary Beth), Brian McCarty (Melissa), and his dear friend and companion, Connie Rhoden. He leaves behind a legacy of love and generosity. His life will be celebrated at a funeral mass on Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 513 Ohio Ave, Kansas City Kansas at 10:00am. The Rosary will be prayed at 8:45am, followed by Eulogy and visitation. Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Family Church.

Arr: Skradski Funeral Home