Joseph B. KUNTZ

10/03/1927 - 12/24/2015

KUNTZ, Joseph B. Born October 3, 1927 in Solon, North Dakota to Frank and Rose Kuntz, Joseph was one of nine children. He was raised on the family farm in southwest North Dakota learning to become a hard worker and a skilled pheasant hunter. He met his wife, Vivian Jeanette Fischer, a nurse in training, in Bismarck, North Dakota in his early 20s. Joe and Viv married at St. Mary's Catholic Church on November 22, 1949 in Mandan, North Dakota, and began a wonderful marriage that provided 66 years of love and taught others how to love by their example. Joe went off to war near the end of WWII and then served our country as a medic in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After returning from war, Joe and Viv moved to Spokane, Washington where Joe began a 40 year career as a Teamster truck driver for Ryerson Steel delivering structural and other steel products throughout the Pacific Northwest while Vivian began her nursing career at Sacred Heart Hospital and later Holy Family Hospital. Joe and Viv worked hard together to raise and provide for their four boys: James Joseph, Gerald James, Thomas Gerald, and Timothy Thomas. All four boys attended St. Francis Xavier Parish Church and School and later Rogers and Gonzaga Prep. They learned their parents values of care and respect for others, hard work, perseverance, love of family, and the importance of deep faith in God. In 1965, Joe and Viv purchased property in Morgan Park at Loon Lake, Washington where Joe built a cabin with the help of the whole family. Through the years Joe taught his boys to fish, hunt, build, have fun as a family, and care for others. The four boys all worked for the Morgan Park resort owner and enjoyed water skiing and fishing with Joe. Each year for over 50 years they travelled to the rolling hills of the Palouse to practice the art of pheasant hunting with their Dad, Joe. Near the end of Joe's truck driving career with Ryerson Steel, Joe's lifelong love of horses caused him to study to become a trainer of thoroughbred horses. He became a very successful trainer at Playfair Racecourse in Spokane, owning, training, and racing many horses during a 10 year plus training career which included logging over 80 wins. One of his most successful and prized horses was appropriately named "Time to Smile". Even the mention of this horse caused Joe to share his ready smile with family and friends. As Joe and Viv's boys raised their own families over the years, it became a joke that their family photo album was completed by watching the grandkids grow up in Winners Circle photos taken at the track thanks to Dad/Grandpa's horses first place finishes. Joe was in good health through most of his 88 years of life until a severe stroke badly injured the entire left side of his body on June 1 of 2015. He worked hard to rehab at Royal Park Care Center in north Spokane but eventually had to resign himself to needing full time care which the staff and his family provided to him throughout the last seven months of his life. Joe died December 24, 2015, the afternoon of Christmas Eve. It's a challenge to try to express the true character of such a gentle, sensitive, and caring man loved so much by family and friends. Here are a few attempts which seem to fit Joe well... "In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone"(St. John of the Cross); "To be closer to God, be closer to people"'; Perhaps the most accurate expression of Joe's life is found in the Great Commandment of the Gospels: "Love God with your whole mind, heart, strength, and soul...And love your neighbor as yourself" ...We will miss Joe greatly! Rosary, immediately followed by Funeral Services, at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Spokane are set for Saturday, January 2, at 10am, with reception to follow. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joe's name to CatholicCharitiesSpokane.org. Words of fondness and farewell can be shared on the HennesseyFuneralHomes.com 'Tribute' page.