Birthplace
Lakedale, Manitoba
Birthdate
October 7, 1936
Deceased
March 19, 2022
First Media Job
Portage La Prairie
Joe's family described him as a dreamer and with sights of seeing what was beyond his beloved valley. In 1957 Joe got his first break in radio in Portage La Prairie. It wasn’t long before radio gave way to television. This took him to Thunder Bay followed by a stint in the United States, including Indiana and North Dakota.
By the year 1970 Joe and his family found themselves in Sudbury joining CKSO TV. His work there included hosting a popular television program for children called “Cooke’s Clubhouse”. This was an after school half-hour program in which local kids joined the host on the TV set. He moved over to CKNC TV to serve as a sports reporter. As the 1970s continued Joe branched into several small businesses on the side. He also threw his hat in the ring for the local mayor’s job.
Joe and his family headed westbound in 1978 continuing with a television career spanning 23 years in Winnipeg. His dreams would take them to Watson Lake, NWT to set the family up for "Joe & Co." This was something new again, an adventure. After 4 years and the experience of rolling his rig into a tailings pond just narrowly escaping death, his wife had other ideas for Joe and he was "ordered" home. He eventually drifted back towards his valley where construction of their retirement home was underway.
Joe passed at home in his beloved valley after his third valiant battle with cancer. He was 85 and was predeceased by his loving, devoted wife of 54 years Geraldine or Gerry in 2013. He left behind his daughter Linda Vant, sons Michael (Karen) Kozokowsky and Timothy (Cheri), and two more daughters Angela (Rob), Jo (Scott), ten grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, a special companion Eileen Heap and an extensive collection of friends.
Joe was known for such comments and advice as, "Dream always, just do it, don’t whine, love with all your heart, be a friend worth keeping and above all laugh particularly at the absurd.
