Joseph “Joe” W. Johns died peacefully, with family at his side, on October 27, 2022, following complications from cancer. Born on December 22, 1927, in St. Clair, PA, and raised in Collingswood, NJ, Joe would meet his “forever soul mate”, Mildred A. Powel, in high school.
Following graduation in 1945, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he served for a year at the end of World War II. It was at this time that he was trained as a telephone linesman, and Joe would continue this line of work with Western Electric for the next twenty years.
Joe and Mildred married in 1946 and raised seven children in Barrington, NJ: Sandra L. Gumbert (Ron), Joseph H. Johns, Steven W. Johns (Claire), Gwynn E. McCarthy (Barry), Jeffrey A. Johns (Wendy), Gail P. Tweet (Danny), and Betty L. Salazar.
Joe proudly served as a volunteer fire fighter with Barrington Fire Company No. 1. In the 1960s, he began a second career servicing computers, first with RCA, then with Harris Corporation. Mildred pre-deceased Joe in 1993. He would later marry Elynore S. Gravenstine, who also pre-deceased him in 2007.
In addition to his seven children, Joe was an adored “Grandpop” to seventeen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. A giving and unselfish gentleman always ready to lend a hand, Joe will be sorely missed by all who were a part of his life.
A private gathering of the family will be held at a later time.
A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Abbeville is assisting the Johns family.