Joe Hauk - Deceased 2012

Joseph Michael Anthony Hauk, April 20, 1953 - January 7, 2012

JOSEPH'S OBITUARY

There was no one quite like Joe. Somewhere between the days of being the life of the party and the days of unspeakable darkness, there lied a man whose charisma and character could match no other.

He was a man whose heart led the way. If you knew him you wanted to be around him. He was always a man of great generosity. If you asked for the shirt off his back, it was yours. Life was never boring with Joe. There was always a need for laughter and an intense drive for a crazy adventure. He lifted the spirits of those whose lives he touched. He loved everyone around him. His love was vast and unending. He loved the outdoors. He loved the life that came from being in nature and he loved to travel. Happy go lucky as they come, Joe lived with such abandon. He was the best father or friend you could ask for … and as a husband, an anchor of everlasting love. If you had Joe in your life, you were truly and wholly blessed.

He was a most colorful person, always spreading his message of love and acceptance. He held the gift of meeting people where they were. His generous spirit is what set him apart from the likes of other great men, as Joe was truly one of a kind. He gave everything he had to the pursuit of other people’s happiness and he beautifully had no concept of materialism. He helped people to realize the depth of their faith and also possessed wisdom to pull people from depths of their remorse. He would walk where angels were afraid to tread. There was no fear of connecting to people of all walks of life, whether that be your next-door neighbor or the man under the bridge. He wore his faith like an armor. He loved Jesus and was filled with respect and reverence for the Almighty. Grappling with a misunderstood illness, he has left his mark on all of us. As his sweet soul goes now to the Lord, he will be remembered as the greatest love of our lives.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Patty Hauk, Valley Springs, SD; daughter Angela Hauk, Los Angeles, CA; sons Josh Hauk, San Diego, CA, Michael Deveroux, ChengDu, China; brothers Jim Hauk and his wife Donna, Deltona, FL, Zane Gorsuch, Sioux Falls, SD; sisters Mary Enderson and her husband Matt, Sioux Falls, SD, Michelle Hauk and Mike Castle, Sioux Falls, SD; and many other relatives and friends.

Joseph was preceded in death by his parents Bertrand and Patricia Hauk.

Visitation with the family present will be from 5 to 7 pm with a prayer service beginning at 6 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at Miller Funeral Home, 13th & Main. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, at the First United Methodist Church with Pastor Mike Gaudet officiating, and burial at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.