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Joseph Rimsa, 60

| July 13, 2021 1:00 AM

Joseph 'Joe' Rimsa, 60

Proud family guy, innovator, and great friend, Joseph “Joe” Rimsa, made the world a better place. Born in Pittsfield, Mass., on May 27, 1960, Joe lived briefly in Lynnwood, Wash., before spending his formative years in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The son of a gifted tool and die maker, Joe’s time working with his father gave him a unique perspective and hands-on experience that inspired him to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Idaho.

As a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, he met his future wife, an Alpha Phi named Lisa McDonald. Their courtship took place in San Francisco, where work opportunities had taken them both after graduation.

An active University of Idaho alum, Joe was a former President of the Northern California Alumni Chapter, and a life-long Vandal fan. In his spare time, he and Lisa took up scuba diving, and Joe went on to become an instructor. While he enjoyed viewing sea creatures, he treasured the enduring friendships of his diving pals even more.

Since both their families lived in Coeur d’Alene, Joe and Lisa wed at the Hayden Lake Country Club in 1988. They had a daughter, Mikayla, in 2002, and a son, Thomas, in 2003. Although Joe lived in Palo Alto, Calif., he always called Idaho home. As members of the Hayden Lake Country Club, summers weren’t complete without supporting his kids in the Mughunter’s Golf Tournament.

Professionally, Joe’s background and education, combined with his creative mind, led to his being granted dozens of patents throughout his career. Professionally, Joe gravitated toward developing medical devices for start-up companies. Navigating the transitions from theoretical product ideas, through to prototype developments, clinical trials, and ramping up production manufacturing, were among his many strengths.

He worked at leading technology companies, including Varian, Spectra Physics, Rofin Sinar, Coherent, Alara, Light Dimensions, Synvascular, and Finesse Solutions. The last 10 years of his career were at TauTona Group, where he pioneered several innovative healthcare products.

He loved being a dad and developed rich friendships while coaching baseball teams, patrolling soccer sidelines, and supporting his kids at swim meets. He taught his children to be critical thinkers and was particularly proud of their achievements in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math.) Known for his smile, telling a good joke, and his witty observations, he made life better with his ingenuity, compassion and laughter.

Joe passed away surrounded by family on May 21, 2021, in Livermore, Calif. He is survived by his wife Lisa, children Mikayla and Thomas, his mother Nancy Rimsa, and his sister Anna Henry (Mark).

Those desiring to honor Joe’s life may contribute to the Joe Rimsa Scholarship Endowment in the University of Idaho’s School of Engineering at https://www.uidaho.edu/joe-rimsa-scholarship