Obituary of Joe Kissel

Joe Jackson Kissel was born on April 29, 1922 in Montrose, Colorado to Fred and Minnie (Honn) Kissel. “Jack”, age 88, passed away on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at Carla’s Cluster Care, in Limon, Colorado where he resided the last five months of his life, after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Cattle and horses were a constant motivating factor in nearly all of his life. Jack enjoyed both breeding and training quarter and paint horses. Up until 2005 Jack worked at many feedlots so he could train horses. He had a talent for spotting and doctoring sick cattle. This on the job training of horses led to successful competition in the arena where he won many trophy buckles and a saddle while team roping. His horses were known for his light touch on the reins as well as their eye-catching conformation. In addition to his horse and cattle work, Jack was involved in many other forms of employment. He and Marjorie were rural mail carriers at Brush, Co. for many years following years of operating heavy equipment on road construction projects. One of those projects was building I70 west of Limon. The knowledge of operating equipment fit well with his feedlot management. In particular Jack loved to share his faith in God, it being the most important thing to him. Two mottos that Jack lived by were “What is the Lord showing you today?” and “Keep your antennas up”. He had a heart for the homeless and it showed when he would venture into the back alleys of Amarillo to take food, where he was known as “Cadillac Jack”. As long as he was physically able he loved doing prison ministry in Texas prisons, even traveling from Genoa to participate. Jack was very sociable, never meeting a stranger he couldn’t talk to. Jack married Marjorie Hoffman in Fowler, Ks. on August 10, 1945. To this union two children were born, a daughter, Jean, and a son, John. After Marjie’s death in 1981, Jack married Ann Bell in October 1982 at Hereford, Texas. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Minnie (Honn) Kissel; first wife, Marjorie; second wife, Ann; his brother, Wayne; sister, Onieta; and his nephew, Doug Kissel. He is survived by his son, John (Karen) Kissel of Penrose, Colorado; his daughter, Jean (Don) Greener of Brush, Colorado; nine grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.