Joseph Lally Jr.

Joseph Lally, Jr. ("Joe"), age 84, of Louisville, passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026.

The son of long-time Louisville golf professional Joe Lally, Sr., Joe shared his father's love for the game and made it his life's calling.

Joe was captain of the St. Xavier High School golf team his senior year. As captain of an athletic team at the all-male school, it was Joe's responsibility to escort a student from one of the Louisville Catholic girls' schools selected to be a princess in the Knights of Columbus Sweetheart Court for the 1958 St. X-Flaget football game. Joe was matched up with the candidate from Holy Rosary Academy, Alma Filiatreau. This match proved to be fateful – Joe and Alma married five years later.

Joe was part of the Bellarmine College Class of 1963. He was the number one player on the Bellarmine golf team all four years and team captain his senior year. The team won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (now the River States Conference) golf championship all four years and Joe only lost two matches in that time. As a result, Joe was inducted into the Bellarmine Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977.

After graduating, Joe went to work as his father's assistant at Seneca Golf Course. Upon Joe Sr.'s retirement in 1980, Joe accepted the Head Professional position at Cherokee Golf Course.

In 1982, the Kentucky Section of the Professional Golfers' Association named Joe the Kentucky PGA Professional of the Year. Of Joe, the KPGA said, "Through his day-to-day activities, he has demonstrated his leadership ability and served as an inspiration for his fellow professionals."

In 1984, Joe accepted the Head Professional position at Owl Creek Country Club, where he worked until his retirement in 1999.

After retiring from Golf, Joe moved into a job that he loved even more– that of Grandpa to his beloved grandchildren, Jeanne, Maureen, Rowan, Evie and Maya. As a proud Grandpa, Joe attended every sporting event, recital and Grandparent's Day that he could.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Alma, and by his brother, Terry Lally, and sister, Patricia Minton. He is survived by his children Joe Lally III, John Lally (Mickey), Tim Lally (Kristin), Chrissy Lally, and Erin Larosa (Jeff); his sisters Nancy Stromberg and Kathy Sothmann (Mark); and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and other loved ones.

Visitation will be at Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home - St. Matthews (3711 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40207) on Wednesday, February 4, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 5 at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church (2141 Lancashire Avenue, Louisville, KY 40205), with burial to follow at St. Michael Cemetery (1300 Ellison Avenue, Louisville, KY 40204).

Memorial contributions can be made in Joe's memory to Hosparus Health Louisville (https://hosparushealth.org/donate/).