Joseph Aloysius Redding Sr.

REDDING Joseph Aloysius Redding, Sr. passed away peacefully on August 4, 2012 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Stockton with his loving family by his side. Joseph was born on April 19th 1918 in New Orleans, LA. ,one of five children John Aruthur and Mathilda Kearney Redding. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Arthur and Warren Redding and his sisters, Teal LaCour and Juanita Barocco. Joe is survived by his loving wife, Marie and his son, Dr. Joseph A. Redding, Jr. (Jay) and his wife Jan of Stockton. He is survived by his grandchildren, Erica Burns of Fair Oaks, CA, Hillary Schaefer (Joel) of Santa Cruz, CA and Emily Redding of Stockton, Ca. and by his great-¬grandchildren, Kyle and Ethan Schaefer or Santa Cruz, Ca. He will be missed by his nieces, Linda Duscoe and Janet Jacobson of Louisiana and his nephews, Septime and John LaCour of Florida. Joe loved living in New Orleans, the food, music and the spirit of the city. He had many good friends and neighbors and was an active member and usher of St. Dominic's Church in New Orleans for fifty-five years. He graduated from Samuel J. Peters High School where he played football and attended Loyola University where he majored in Economics and was active in baseball, track and field and football. Joe has been a loving and devoted husband to the love of his life, Marie Matilda Barocco Redding for sixty-nine years. They grew up a few blocks apart in New Orleans and were childhood friends. They were married on January 11, 1943 in Spokane, Washington. Joe served as a First Sergeant in the United States Army for four years. He served in World War II in the Pacific Theater and kept in touch with his army buddies until his death. After the war he managed and later owned his own construction company in New Orleans. His son fondly remembers learning how to do construction under his father's tutelage. He also remembers his father building model Lionel trains with him in the garage. Jay carries on this tradition today with his own grandsons. Joe and Marie relocated to O'Connor Woods from New Orleans after losing their home to Katrina in August, 2005. They found a welcoming and comfortable home here and have made many wonderful friends during the seven years they have resided in Stockton. Joe had the Irish gift of storytelling and loved to laugh and tell jokes. He was a friend to all and could be counted upon even before he was asked. He will be greatly missed by all.