Joe C. Needham

Joe C. Needham, Jr. went to be with the Lord on Sunday August 13, 2017. He was the son of Joe Crawford Needham and Edith Helen Rice-Needham. He was born on September 8, 1937 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Betty Cook and two-year-old, Alice Joyce Needham. He is survived by his remaining sibling, Wanda Terry. He served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force and moved to Phoenix upon discharge from the service. He married Rebecca Backus and had four children, Joe; twins Joni and Michael; and youngest son Gary. Joe later married Marjorie Aldrich and remained married for 47 years until his passing. Joe is also survived by his four children; 2 step-daughters Laura and Donna; 9 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. Joe was a Quality Manager for Garrett AiResearch Manufacturing Company, later known as AlliedSignal where he proudly worked for 35 years retiring at the age of 55. He graduated from Phoenix College with an A.A. degree and University of Phoenix with a B.A. and M.A. in Management. Joe had also achieved his private pilot's license. Joe had a great personality, was a hard worker and was loved and respected by friends, family and fellow...[more]

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d fellow employees. He always enjoyed other's company and appreciated a good joke. His interests and hobbies were varied and numerous. He was a little league baseball coach, Cub and Boy Scouts leader, avid fisherman at local lakes and Lake Powell and annual fly-in fishing trips to Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada. He enjoyed watching boxing on TV with his sons, dove and quail hunting, target shooting, gun shows, camping, weekends in Pinetop, AZ escaping the Valley heat in the family cabin, classic cars and dirt bike riding and especially, family gatherings. He very much loved his pets and was a long-time supporter of the AZ Humane Society. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe's name to the AZ Humane Society at azhumane.org would be appreciated. Services of memory and love will be held 10:00 am Wednesday August 23, 2017 at First United Methodist Church, 5510 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012. He will be laid to rest at 1:00 pm at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek, Phoenix 85024. Visit https://hansenmortuary.wpengine.com for condolences.