Obituary published on Legacy.com by Byrum Funeral Home Inc. on Jun. 5, 2024.
Joseph Richard Van Duzer was born June 10, 1946 in
Groton, New York and passed away peacefully from this life after a 4 ¼ year courageous battle with cancer on May 14, 2024 at home in
Addison, Texas surrounded by his "3 girls" Cheryl, Hanna, and Lisa.
Joe loved trucking, from washing his best friends' fathers' trucks as a child, to hauling eggs out of upstate NY to Manhattan as a teenager, you name it he hauled it! Later Joe owned several trucks and then ventured out starting his own companies.
Joe and Cheryl met on July 19, 1989, in Lubbock, TX while he was attending an Oil field Auction and she for a golf tournament. Amazingly, they lived just a few miles from each other in North Texas. After their first date 35 years ago, they were rarely seen without each other. They truly were the love of each other's lives. When asked "what was their secret?", Joe would always claim it was communication and not going to bed angry. Cheryl would claim pure love and there being three in their marriage God, Joe and Cheryl. They blended their families into one loving family. Joe and Cheryl started a new trucking company together where they worked side by side for 21 years. He had the uncanny ability to negotiate well enough that both drivers and customers felt like winners. He was amazing with numbers, could tell you at any time for any year he had been in business how many loads were hauled, how much they paid, and how much the drivers made. He had spreadsheets that are still talked about today! With the power of truth, integrity, and honorable actions throughout the years, he received too many awards to mention, including his last his prized "Gold Chief Executive Circle" at Landstar. When he became too ill to continue to give the 110 % he had always given his company, they were blessed to find a company that had the same values and morals, and his legacy is still alive today through Momentum Transportation USA.
After all their children had grown up and were on their own, Joe and Cheryl raised their grandson, Austin Leverett, who served God faithfully and is a proud USMC veteran. Joe loved faithfully his God, his family, his friends, and his country. He was a proud Army Veteran. Joe loved travelling to see his family and friends throughout the USA. Before his illness they were blessed to be able to travel around the world by air, sea, and land, always ending up back in their favorite, Alaska! On top of traveling, his love of golf was almost as great as his love of casinos!
The family would like to express our thanks for the above and beyond care given by Robert Cook M.D., his staff, (our personal physician) Thuy Le, M.D., her staff at Texas Oncology, and Hospice+ including Devyn, Sabastian, Janice, Bertha and Chaplain John.
A special thank you to Regis and Nancy Mobley who stayed by his side, supported him when he was too weak to support himself, encouraged him when he was down, loved him unconditionally, and prayed for him for so many years. He loved you both so.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Margurite Van Duzer; his father, Larry Van Duzer; and his brothers, James Van Duzer and David Blazick.
Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Cheryl Van Duzer; his beloved daughter, Hanna Van Duzer Roan and husband, David; his son, Philip Greco; his son, Raymond Greco and wife, Gordana; his son, Gerard Greco and wife, Desiree; his beloved daughter, Lisa Katt; his son, John Kennedy; his daughter, Donna Kennedy; his sister, Rose Schmidt and husband, Robert; his sister-in-law, Joan Blazick; his stepbrother, Robert Deuel and wife, Wendy; his brother, Jonathon Casada and wife, Randi; his brother, Adam Frear; 25 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren (2 more on the way); and aunts, uncles, cousins, friends of whom there are too many to mention.
A private celebration of Joe's life will be held at a later date.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to
Landstar BCO Benevolent Fund, Inc.
13410 Sutton Park Drive South
Jacksonville, FL 32224