Joseph Gorecki

Joseph G. Gorecki, 66, of Newton, passed away peacefully at home following a 3-year battle with liver cancer, with his wife and family by his side. A celebration of Joseph’s life will be held on July 8, 2023, at the Izaak Walton League in Newton. Memorials in Joseph’s name can be sent to the family or left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. Please make checks payable to Margie Gorecki.

   Joseph, the son of Thomas and Marie (Innerarity) Gorecki, was born September 28, 1956, at his home in Slidell, Louisiana. He attended parochial and public schools in St. Tammany Parish. Joseph joined the U.S. Army in 1973 and was stationed in Ft. Hood. He was then stationed in Newburg, Germany-which he had fond memories of-until his return in 1977. Joseph then worked for Martin Marietta in New Orleans until he moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1982. He later moved to Colfax and began his 23 years of work at The Maytag Company in Newton. He held various positions there but worked as a mold setter in the plastics department until 2007, when the company closed. He did some over the road trucking and then worked for  Manatt’s Milling Division for 14 years, where he was a lowboy driver and ran the mill, until May of 2022, when his cancer moved to his bones, and he was no longer able to work.

   Joseph was united in marriage with Margie A. Cromer on May 23, 1998, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with family attending from both Iowa and Louisiana. With this marriage, Joseph gained two stepsons, Jeff and Jimmy, of whom he was very proud. Over the years he was blessed with 5 grandbabies, who were the light of his life and gave him many happy memories. He loved the time spent with his family, from parties to holidays, and having the grandbabies on weekends.

   Joseph was a member of the UAW Local 997. He enjoyed going to Bowlful of Blues, playing pool, driving truck—especially semi driving, and traveling. He would do anything he could to help others. Joseph was full of life and enjoyed life more than anything. He loved having crawfish boils, racing, and driving out to anywhere with water and woods, just to recollect and enjoy the sights and sounds. He liked fishing but was never much of a hunter while he lived in Iowa. In Louisiana, anything he hunted he caught by hand! Joseph also loved old cars and had owned a Barracuda he drove into the ground. 

   Those left to celebrate Joseph’s memory include his wife, Margie of Newton; stepsons, Jeff (Lariza) Rethmeier of Prosper, TX and Jimmy (Tammi) Rethmeier of Newton; 5 grandchildren: Leilone, Caitlin, Saghit, Tristan, and Liani; his great-grandbabies, Amiah Grace, Isabella Grace, and Remington Carter; his brothers, Thomas (Carina) Gorecki, Jr. and Donald (Shellie) Gorecki; his furbabies, Buster and Lilly Belle; and many nieces and nephews, who he adored.   He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Ellie and Susan.

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