Joseph 'Joe' Corege, Jr., 89

Joseph Corege, Jr. 89, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, left us April 24, 2023, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Joe grew up in Rocky Hill, Conn., the oldest of eight. Independent and adventurous from the beginning, the family hoped that being an altar boy and Boy Scout would reign in his youthful zeal.

Joe's family moved to California in 1948. At Amador High, he was involved in sports. Joe acquired his first airplane and the love affair with flying began. The Navy Reserve took him to active duty at 17 years old. He was stationed aboard the destroyer USS Walke during the Korean Conflict. He was a Communication Tech involved with Atomic Testing.

After attending college, Joe began his career at Hewlett Packard. As Manager of the Service Center, he traveled abroad often. Joe retired in 1995. Joe met his wife Joan at Amador High School.They married and had a son, John. John was by his side learning all the many skills that Joe possessed.

Joe was an exceptional craftsman. He never did things halfway. "If it's worth doing, it is worth doing well."

The South Lake Tahoe cabin and the home in Pleasanton, Calif., are examples of his skills in building. Joe's greatest passion was flying. Nothing pleased him more than to be in the sky, flying his Piper Arrow. With the days of California coming to an end, Joe relocated to Coeur d'Alene 26 years ago to be a presence in his son's and grandchildren's lives.

Joe joined the V.F.W Post 889, where he was Chaplain and took his duty seriously with great devotion. Joe also served in the Honor Guard. Joe and Joan often traveled to Italy, visiting family and friends. These are among the most heartfelt memories he held.

As we grieve the loss of a wonderful man, his memory lives on. His wife, Joan; son John and his wife, Shenay; grandchildren Lindsey, Hailey, Andrea, Korbyn and Kaelyn; his brother, Nicholas; and sisters Theresa, MaryAnn, Catherine and Josephine. He is preceded in death by his beloved parents, Joseph Sr. and Angelina; brother Michael, and sister Antonette.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Companions Animal Center (formerly known as Kootenai Humane Society), P.O. Box 1005, Hayden, ID 83835 (www.companionsanimalcenter.org); or Hospice of North Idaho (www.hospiceofnorthidaho.org).

A graveside service with military honors will be held 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Forest Cemetery, 1011 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene, ID. Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Joe’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.