Joe Walter Veatch of Kingwood, Texas passed away on March 16, 2022 at the age of 91.

Joe was born on December 24, 1930 in Oklahoma to Helen Woodward Veatch and Walter Veatch. He was the youngest sibling of John Franklin Veatch and Margaret Helen Veatch.

Joe is survived by the love of his life and devoted wife of 71 years, Beth Morrow Veatch, and his children; daughter Debbie Veatch Roesler and her husband Ron, and son Greg Veatch and his wife Laura.

Among Joe's greatest joys were his six grandchildren Derek, Kristen, Dustin, Cory, Cameron and Stormy, and his nine great-grandchildren Katy, Ben, Mason, Beau, Kennedy, Knox, Kylie, Kash, and Kymber. Also surviving Joe is Margaret Ponder, his dear sister with whom he shared sibling rivalry and a deep kinship.

Joe grew up in rural Oklahoma, but due to the devastating effects of The Great Depression, his family sold their property and moved to a forty-acre farm in Russellville, Arkansas. Necessities were scarce and comforts were few. The home had no electricity, no running water, or no modern 1930s amenities. Joe, Margaret, and John entertained themselves through roaming the countryside, playing childhood games, and performing daily chores.

After tragically losing his mother to cancer when Joe was very young, he was fortunate to have a loving father, caring siblings, and supportive friends and extended family. Joe remained close to many of those family members and friends throughout his long life.

Joe's father and siblings moved to Pasadena, Texas when Joe was in middle school.

Joe graduated from Pasadena High School in 1948, and during that time he had a paper route working for the Houston Chronicle. Shortly after graduation, he began studies at the University of Houston and met the beautiful Beth Aline Morrow at a party. They married on August 10, 1951 before Joe was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. He went to basic training at Fort Lee, Virginia then was stationed in Zweibrucken, Germany for 18 months. Joe and Beth anxiously waited for his return and were only able to communicate through daily letter writing, telegraphs, and occasional overseas phone calls.

After completion of his service in the U.S. Army, Joe returned to his position at Burroughs Adding Machine Company in Houston as a repairman. Joe worked at Champion Paper Mill in Pasadena until the early 70s. While at Champion, Joe worked as a "cook's helper" and later was fortunate enough to get into the apprentice program for instrumentation. Joe retired from the Celanese Corporation in 1993 after a satisfying and successful career in industrial instrumentation. He gained the respect and enjoyed the friendships of many he met during this time.

Notably, Joe was initiated into the Masonic Lodge in 1961 and raised to the degree of Master Mason in 1962. Joe was an active member of the Lodge during his retirement, and he received his 50 year service award in 2011.

Joe and Beth enjoyed their home in Pasadena where they raised their family, visited with friends, and hosted countless holiday celebrations. They relocated to Kingwood in 1997 and enjoyed getting to know their new community and neighbors. No matter where they lived, Joe and Beth provided a warm and loving environment for all who entered. Visitors were always welcomed with a good word and a fresh cup of coffee.

In his free time, Joe never shied away from a project. Whether it was woodworking, appliance repair, or mechanics, no job was too large or too small to help. Ever the go-to-guy, Joe could always be counted on to fix a broken clock, build a piece of furniture or simply have a pocket knife on hand.

Joe also loved to visit Oklahoma and Kansas to see dear family members and honor those who have passed on.

An immensely important foundation of Joes life was his faith. Joe began most days by reading his Bible and committing scriptures to memory. One of his favorite verses is found in Psalm 121: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Faith, worship, Bible study and active membership at Kingwood First Baptist Church were foundational for Joe and his family and we celebrate that he is now with his parents, his brother John and many special loved ones.

We have peace in the confidence that Joe is at this very moment experiencing the magnificence of God… and probably fixing whatever is broken.