Joseph Link

Joseph A. Link was a man with a unique perspective on life. He had experienced the joys of friendship and fatherhood as well as the pain of loss and suffering. He had sweet memories of good times with his loved ones and looked forward to many more.

In the spring of 1956, the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott was in full swing, led by a passionate young preacher named Martin Luther King, Jr. At the same time, up north in Wyoming, Michigan, Edward and Mary (Muenzenmeyer) Link were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their fifth child. They were thrilled when their little boy finally arrived on May 22 in Grand Rapids. Little Joe was soon toddling after his big brothers while his oldest sibling, Janet, kept watch over the whole crew. Joe's father provided for the family through his job as an electrician and Mary managed their household on Floyd Street.

The Links were faithful members of nearby St. John Vianney Catholic Church and Joe attended St. John Vianney Elementary School. The neighborhood was a great place to grow up and Joe spent many hours playing baseball and football with his friends. Long, hot summer days were filled with laughter, spats, and plenty of dirt, and provided Joe with some of his fondest memories. Joe made a little money for himself with a paper route and in his spare time occasionally went small game hunting with his pals.

Joe's family sometimes rented a cottage in the summer and spent a bit of vacation time there. They enjoyed being together, and holidays were particularly special. There was always a swarm of relatives accompanied by enough food to feed a small army. They were close, and the whole family suffered a devastating blow when Joe's brother, David, was killed in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1968. David was just nineteen, and the shock and grief of losing such a young, vital member of the family left Joe deeply affected.

Joe followed in the footsteps of his two brothers nearest in age and attended West Catholic High School where he was on the wrestling team for a couple of years. He graduated with the class of 1974. After high school, he started working at Klingman's Furniture Co., where he learned the art of upholstery. He later started working independently. He was a creative person and a very talented upholsterer.

As a young man, Joe met a woman named Paulette Viau and after dating for a while, they were married at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Their first child, Christopher, was born in 1983 and their daughter, Gabrielle, arrived in 1984.They established their home on Spalding Avenue in Ada, Michigan.

After ten years of marriage, Joe and Paulette divorced for personal reasons. After his father passed away in March of 2004, Joe's siblings made frequent visits to see Joe and his mother. They were all pleased that neither one of them had to be alone during that stressful time.

Joe found pleasure in the simple things in life. He loved Chinese food and a good, thick steak. He appreciated the faithfulness of his family members and shared some good memories with them. There were happy times as well as moments of rest that Joe looked forward to, and his loved ones will miss him dearly.

Joe passed away unexpectedly at his home on Saturday evening, April 1, 2006. His brother, David Link, and his father, Edward Link, preceded him in death. He is survived by his children, Christopher Link and Gabrielle Link; his mother, Mary Link; his sister, Janet (Don) Stiles; his brothers, William (Mary Jane) Link and Larry Link; several nieces and nephews; and many friends.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet his family at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel on Tuesday, April 4, from 6-9 p.m. with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. Please visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may order flowers, share a memory, and sign his online guestbook.