Joseph D. Garvey

 Joseph D Garvey, age 83, died on January 18, 2022, at home of renal failure.  He was born on July 12, 1938, in the town of Freedom.  Joe was the son of the late Joseph E. and Cora (Geenen) Garvey.  His mother died when he was only ten days old, and he looked forward to the day he would finally get to meet her in Heaven.  He attended St. Nicholas grade school and graduated from Freedom High School, class of 1957.  After high school, he served his country by joining the Wisconsin Army National Guard.  On January 25, 1964, he was united in marriage to Betty Appleton.  Together, they raised three sons- Joe, John, and Dan. 

Joe was a farmer. Joe’s entire life was farming and family. His farm was a 5th generation Garvey farm that his great-great grandfather, John L. Garvey, purchased when he came from Ireland in 1851.  On April 18, 1958, his father, Joseph E. Garvey died, and the farm on Center Valley Road was passed to him and his sister Margaret Ann Randerson.  He is survived by his wife, Betty Garvey of Freedom, and his sons: Joe (Merideth) Garvey of Lake Elmo MN, John (Chelse) Garvey of Freedom, Dan (Sommer) Garvey of Wrightstown.  His grandchildren: Sam (Maddie) Garvey of Denver CO, Claire Garvey of Nashville TN, Maxwell (Sierra) Garvey of Seymour, Mitchell Garvey of Oshkosh, Jackson Garvey of Freedom, Owen Garvey of Wrightstown, and Charlie Garvey of Wrightstown.  He is further survived by his sister Margaret Ann Randerson of Freedom, and her family: Mary and Marv Talbot of Freedom, Jane and Tom Randerson of Beaver Dam, Jo Ann Randerson of St. Francis, Maureen and Dan VandenHeuvel of Combined Locks, Patti and Randy Peters of Hubertus, and Barb and Tom Gerritts of Freedom.  He is also survived by Betty’s family: Margaret Blohm of Portage, Jim and Dot Appleton of Green Bay, Pat and Gwen Appleton of Surprise, AZ, Karl and Barb Appleton of Suamico, Barb and Mike Schneider of Freedom, and Ann and Archie Stam of Oshkosh.  

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, John E. Garvey of Freedom, brothers-in-law: Gene W. Randerson of Freedom, and LeRoy Blohm of Appleton. 

In retirement, he became a fan of his grandchildren’s athletics, often having to change shirts from blue (Wrightstown Tigers) to green (Freedom Irish) in the same evening. Joe never owned a golf club, a fishing pole, a boat, or a rifle, but he loved his shop, his Allis tractor, and his Kawasaki Mule.  As his health declined, the Mule became his vehicle of choice.  He truly enjoyed going for a ride to see a field of nice alfalfa, tall corn, or for the first-time last summer… he learned all about beans.  Joe was a Farmer. 

We want to thank Bill and Brent Schuh for taking such good care of our land when Joe was no longer able.  It meant the world to him. The family would also like to give a big thank you to all the team members at Aurora BayCare Medical Center, as well as the doctors and nurses of BayCare Clinic and Aurora Medical Group for the outstanding care, service, and compassion given to Joe over the years.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at Saint Nicholas Catholic Church, W2037 County Road S, Freedom, with Fr. Walter Stumpf officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. For those wishing to view the service online, it will be live-streamed at www.tinyurl.com/stnicholasfreedom. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Freedom Food Pantry in Joe’s name. For online condolences, please visit www.verkuilenfh.com.

“When we married in 1964, Father Gordon Gilsdorf told me that my job was to help Joe get to Heaven, I hope I got the job done.” -Betty 

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