Joseph Voermans Jr., 94

Joseph Voermans Jr. died Jan. 1, 2022, of natural causes. He was 94 years old. He is the son of Doris (Sindt) Voermans and Joseph Voermans. Joe was the first of three sons; his brother Jack and brother Jacob are both deceased. He was born in Whitefish and lived in the Flathead Valley his entire life except for a few months when he followed his high school sweetheart, Billie Reichert, to Omaha, Nebraska, to marry her. He worked at Boys Town, but they were called back to the family dairy farm and he worked there until it was sold. During that time, they had two children, Judy and Jennifer. After the sale of the dairy farm, Joe went to work for Red Harding at Whitefish Lumber. He delivered lumber to the site of the new post office and, when the opportunity to work for USPS was available, he took the job. He served the postal service for 31 years in various capacities, including interim postmaster at Lakeside Post Office. During those years a third child arrived, Jacob. Sadly, Billie died unexpectedly in 1966.

In the alley behind the Pastime where Joe ate his lunch and played some cards, he met Jean Brash, who worked for Leo Fisher. In 1967 they were married and two more children were added to the family, Vance and Paul Brash. The boys filled the 13-year gap between Jake and Jennifer and Jake now had older brothers. The house was full! The boys played Little League baseball and Joe coached and became president of the Little League. Before he even had children, he volunteered for the Boys Scouts and stayed for 38 years.

Volunteering was important to him. In 1999 he was honored as Volunteer of the Year for his many years of giving. His last and best volunteer job was to teach fourth graders how to play cribbage at Ruder and Glacier elementary schools as an R.S.V.P. volunteer. But the volunteer job that caused the most pride was the honor of being the first Queen of the Yetis for the Whitefish Winter Carnival in 1960. He was part of the Whitefish Jaycees and they created the Yetis to the delight and fright of the Whitefish Winter Carnival revelers.

Joe was a Navy veteran and a life member of the VFW. He was also a life member of the Lions Club, serving as charter president of the Whitefish club. He was a member of the Moose Club and the Jaycees. He was a city-county planning board member and a member of the St. Charles Catholic Church Parish Council. In Columbia Falls, he served meals at St. Richard Catholic Church. He volunteered for the North Valley Food Bank and was “general flunky” for the Columbia Falls Senior Center when his wife, Jean, was the manager.

He was a greater-than-average cribbage player and a mean pinochle player. He taught all his kids to play card games and it was hard to beat the master.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jean Voermans; and four of his five children, Judy Voermans Willey (Dru), Jennifer Voermans Wheeler (Clark), Jacob Voermans (Michelle), and Vance Brash (Kristie). His son Paul Brash (Linda) is deceased. He has numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as many cousins.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 at the Columbia Mortuary, 1010 4th Avenue W., Columbia Falls.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is caring for the family.