Joseph J. Monek Jr.

Joseph James Monek Jr., avid fisherman and hunter, dog lover and bike rider, died on August 30, 2022 after 85 trips around the sun. Born on December 1, 1936, Joe grew up in Bethlehem. Son of immigrants, Elizabeth (Horvath) and Joseph Monek Sr., he could speak some Hungarian and often referred to himself as the Hungarian Bull. Joe graduated from Liberty High School and from the Philadelphia School of Business.
He worked for 34 years in Management Information Services at Bethlehem Steel. Early on, he worked at Air Products, where he met the love of his life, Joyce Lynn (Brown). They were married for 56 years and had a son, Robert of Havertown, Pa. Joe taught his only child to fish, golf, play darts, love animals and to always do the right thing.
Joe watched many a sunset on Lake Nockamixon, and rumor has it he once had the largest fish in the lake on the hook. He also enjoyed hunting with his life-long friends at Kelhart s cabin deep in the woods at High Knob in the Poconos. His memberships over the years included the Hellertown Sportsman Club, Golf League at the steel company, and the Tamaqua Beagle Club.
He loved the outdoors and planted enough trees that his house appeared to be in the middle of a small forest. He and Lynn spent many years cultivating their yard into a garden of beauty. Joe even built a fireplace in the backyard that provided wonderful relaxing evenings under the stars. Lynn and Joe racked up mile after miles on bicycles, traveled to the Jersey Shore on occasion, honeymooned for a week in New York Catskill Mountains and Massachusetts, and vacationed in Canada. They also spent many a winter weekend snowmobiling in the Poconos.
Joe also enjoyed rooting for the rebellious Raiders, playing the horses, talking politics and theorizing about space and space travel. Above all, he had a love of all creatures great and small, but a special place in his heart for dogs, especially beagles, which he passed onto his son. He had a kind and generous heart, always willing to help people and welcoming his mother-in-law, Muriel Brown, into his home for 17 years after her husband, Donald, passed away. Joe spent his last years in Phoebe Nursing Home, which the family would like to thank for taking care of him.
In addition to his wife and son, he will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Loretta Fadale; his daughter-in-law Megan Flanagan-Monek and 4 grandchildren - Jean Flanagan, Daniel Monek, Helen Monek, and Robert Monek.
There will be a calling hour on September 3, 2022 at Assumption BVM Church, 4101 Old Bethlehem Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18105 from 10-11:00 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 11:00 a.m. Inurnment will follow at Hellertown Union Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please donate to the Michael Fox Foundation or to ZERO (to end prostate cancer), or to just do something nice for someone.
Links: https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate?em_cid=mc-a1b1R00000AF7Dx&et_cid=2159618&et_rid=418056738&et_lid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.michaeljfox.org%2fdonate%3fem_cid%3dmc-a1b1R00000AF7Dx https://zerocancer.org/fight/how-to-donate/