Joseph Donald "Joe" Kale

Obituary of Joseph Donald Kale
Columbus – On February 12, 2023, Joseph "Joe" Kale, devoted husband, loving father and Papa, passed away unexpectantly at his favorite place in the world, Hilton Head Island.
Joe was born on January 25th, 1947, in Portsmouth, Ohio. From a young age, he was driven to succeed and make the most of his life; but his family was his pride and joy. Joe met the love of his life, Ruth Ann, while working at Western Electric and together they built a life centered on their family. Joe was the backbone of the family and never missed the opportunity to offer advice or cheer you on in whatever you were doing. He literally never missed a game. Joe was always on the sidelines for his children's sporting events and more recently took great pride in cheering on his grandchildren from the stands. Nothing made him more proud than to watch the ones he loved succeed.
Joe attended The Ohio State University and during his time on campus became a Buckeye for life. One of his favorite pastimes was watching and supporting the Buckeyes. As a cancer survivor and bike rider he had a soft place in his heart for The James and Pelotonia. He rode Pelotonia several times and was a volunteer in many others. Joe retired from Zep Manufacturing after a 30+ year career where he made numerous sales and many friends. In his free time, Joe loved to golf, play cards, and spend time at the beach or on his boat at the lake. He was one of the most active people we knew and was very proud to share his daily step count just to prove how many more steps he took than you did!
His kind spirit, genuine demeanor and cheerful disposition attracted people wherever he went. Joe never met a stranger and always welcomed you with a smile. He loved to tell stories, had a great sense of humor and always had a positive outlook on life. His glass was always half full, and his stories were always larger than life. He was loving, generous, confident, honest, and always a reliable source of strength and wisdom.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents Mable Shires and Donald Kale, and brother-in-law William "Bill" Kaufman. Left to mourn his loss are his beloved wife of nearly 54 years, Ruth Ann Kale, children Trisha (Bill) Jordan and Kevin (April) Kale, his five adoring grandchildren, Will, Dylan, Alayna, Jack and Kate, sisters Monna "Sis" Kaufman and Suzie (William) Wolfe, and sister-in-law Mary Masters. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and numerous friends will miss him dearly.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joe's memory may be made to Pelotonia, Joe Kale Memorial Page https://www.pelotonia.org/profile/IJ846121 or the American Heart Association.
Joe will be honored with a celebration of his life on Saturday April 29, 2023, 4pm-7pm at the Cumberland Trail Golf Course in Etna, Ohio. Please bring your favorite memories and stories of Joe to share.