Joseph Tarnowski

Joseph Tarnowski
February 9th, 1935 – December 3rd, 2022 (87 years)

Joe can now be found sitting on a lawn chair in a shady, peaceful place with his favorite hunting dog by his feet, setting and checking fishing lines on a boat, and any place you remember him. As a boy, he was known as Pete to his friends and family, and in later years sometimes called “Jode” as in Joe Dee Boss.

Joe joined the Army in 1954, married Shirley Lampe from Beatrice, Nebraska, and was stationed in Germany. They came home to Milwaukee in 1957 and started their family.

As a promotable Journeyman machinist who worked his way up to Tool Design Supervisor for Caterpillar Tractor company in Milwaukee and later as Vice President of Manufacturing at Vilter Manufacturing, also in Milwaukee, he believed his secret to success was smoking a pipe and knowing when to bite down rather than speaking his mind.

Family vacations, camping, hunting, fishing, skiing, golf, and of course “grandpa can fix it-he can fix anything” kept Joe busy for many years, but his favorite vacation was his 50th wedding anniversary when he and Shirley took the entire family of 22 to Hawaii for a seven day cruise around the islands.

As a boy growing up in Milwaukee, Joe (Pete) spent time around Lake Michigan fishing with brothers and friends which continued into adulthood. Later in life as salmon fishing on Lake Michigan became a passion, he completed his charter boat captain’s license and became known for sharing that passion with many people, sometimes a dozen trips per week. Some can still hear him chant “Fishy Fishy in the lake, come along and take my bait”.

Joe rarely belonged to an organization or club as a passive member but believed the best way to keep them alive is to volunteer as secretary, treasurer, troop leader, any position to help the organization thrive.

Joseph Tarnowski passed away peacefully in hospice at West Allis Memorial Hospital on Saturday morning, December 3rd, 2022, with his loving wife of 67 years, Shirley, by his side.

Preceded in death by his parents Violet Mazurkiewic and August Tarnowski, his sisters Mamie and Rita, and his brother Otto.

Survived by his wife Shirley, his sons Michael (Ping), Mark (Paula), Matthew (Katy), and Timothy (Kathy); his brother August; his grandchildren Krista, Jesse, JinJin Li (KZ), Marta Ahler (Ken), Bret (Kerri), Joseph, Jake, Jeff, and Megan; his great grandchildren Sam, Jerry, Leon, Brady, Marguerite, Henry, and Will; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visitation at Krause Funeral Home, 12401 West National Avenue, New Berlin, Wisconsin on Saturday, December 17th, 2022, from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Service at 3:15 PM. Private burial.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Macular Degeneration Association.