Joseph C. "Joe" Palof

Joe, age 94, of rural St. Cloud, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 16, 2025, surrounded by his beloved wife and family at the Hospice Home of Hope in Fond du Lac, WI. He was born on November 22, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, to John and Marie (Hudak) Palof. He attended Polytech High School in Cleveland and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Kent State University in 1955. On November 9, 1948, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves alongside his brother Al, proudly serving his country until his honorable discharge on September 15, 1955.

Joe began his career with General Motors in Columbus, Ohio, serving as a civilian computer technician representative on the B-47 guidance control system. A year later, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Thule, Greenland, where he worked on the advanced computer guidance system for the B-52 bomber. During his tenure with the government, Joe held the rank of captain, a testament to his leadership and technical expertise.

In 1957, he was stationed in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he led instructional courses on B-52 computer repair. This experience paved the way for his deployment to Cochem, Germany, as part of the post-war Mutual Aid Assistance Pact. There, Joe contributed to the development and maintenance of the firing system for the F-84 fighter jet. During this period Joe took the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and spent two months at an air base in Turkey.

Back in the States, while working at AC Spark Plugs, Joe met Mary Roltgen through a mutual friend and quickly fell in love. Six months later, on the Feast of All Saints Day, Joe proposed to Mary outside their church. They were married the following spring, on April 8, 1961, at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Armstrong, WI. God blessed them with five children and 64 good years of marriage.

Shortly after their marriage, Joe, worked at Delco Electronics in Milwaukee, WI, where he contributed to the Apollo space program. He spent two years supporting the development of its guidance system and eventually traveled to D.C. to work on the museum display for it at the Smithsonian.

Joe and Mary made homes in Milwaukee and Eagle, Wisconsin; Greenville, Ohio; Brownsville, Wisconsin; and ultimately settled in St. Cloud, Wisconsin. There, Joe became an active member of Our Lady of the Holyland Parish in St. Cloud, where he served as a lector, sang in the choir, and held the role of trustee on the Church Council.

Despite all his travels and long career, Joe often said that the most fulfilling chapter of his engineering career was at Tecumseh Engine Products in New Holstein, where innovation and hands-on problem-solving brought him the greatest satisfaction. He retired in 1992, leaving behind a legacy that included a few patents bearing his name. These are testaments to his creativity, expertise, and enduring impact in the field.

Along with Joe's professional successes, his family wishes to commemorate the remarkable man he was by sharing a few cherished memories.

Joe had a gift for making our evening meals fun, instructive and memorable. Around the dinner table, he would pose challenging problems for the family to solve together, encouraging teamwork, thoughtful dialogue, and active listening. These lively discussions often led us to the encyclopedia or dictionary, but their true purpose was to prepare us for life's challenges. Through these discussions, he encouraged critical thinking to analyze, articulate, and approach problems with confidence and curiosity.

Joe also had a deep love for poetry and literature, and his passion for music was woven into the fabric of his family life. He played the accordion, violin, and concertina and loved a family sing-along. On long family road trips to Cleveland, many memorable hours were enjoyed singing together in the van. During his retirement years, Joe took his interest in concertina to the local Irish pub, The 52 Stafford in Plymouth, WI, where he played with a welcoming Irish improvisation group on Wednesday nights. Many good memories were had going to the pub and listening to them play. One year the group even traveled to Milwaukee and played at the Big Annual Irish Festival.

Joe was generous with his home. Many who just needed to have a place to live for a while received a warm welcome there. Joe and Mary also enjoyed hosting big extended family gatherings which usually concluded with a sing-along.

Joe also had a love for animals which was evident in the wide variety raised on his hobby farms throughout the years. This interest began early in his childhood when he raced pigeons from the attic of the family garage deep in the city of Cleveland. He rekindled this hobby again after retirement, often entering contests where they returned home from 100, 250, and 500 miles. He was proud to belong to the Fond du Lac Pigeon racing club and enjoyed the company of his many friends there.

Those left behind to cherish Joe's memory include his wife, Mary; his five children, Karen Bill) Schreiner of rural Glenbeulah, WI, John (Jill) Palof of rural Kenyon, MN, Dan (Mary Beth) Palof of Sitka, AK, Tom (Kathy) Palof of Kohler, WI, and Jim (Kirsten) Palof of Milwaukee, WI; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; his sister, Florence Montgomery of Cleveland, OH; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Rick (Karen) Roltgen, Bob (Gretch) Roltgen, Cathy Richard) Draeger, Joe (Edna) Roltgen, Therese (Dr. Richard) Cross, Germaine Ditter, Colette (Bruce) Drehmel. He is further survived by nieces; nephews; other relatives; and friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents, John and Marie Palof; his son-in-law, Bill Schreiner; a grandson, Jerome Schreiner; his brothers and sister, Paul (Josie) Palof, George (Irene) Palof, Al Palof, Mary (George) Macsay; and his brother-in-law, Jim Montgomery.

A Liturgy Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 AM on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at Our Lady of the Holyland Parish in St. Cloud, 924 Main Street, St. Cloud, WI 53079. Rev. Paul Koenig, OFM Cap and Rev. Larry Abler, OFM Cap will concelebrate.

Visitation: Family and friends may visit with Joe's family at the Sippel Funeral Home, 1311 Thorp Street, St. Cloud, WI on Saturday, August 23rd from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM.

For further details, please contact the Sippel Funeral Home in St. Cloud (920) 999-2291 or visit www.sippelfuneralhome.net.