Joseph Eugene Ramsey

June 1, 1941 - March 19, 2021

Memorials can be made to the family for later designation to Veterans Organizations. life stream available at https://webcasts.lifetributes.com/1137463 Joe was born June 1, 1941 to Leo and Rose (Framke) Ramsey. He was the seventh of eight siblings who were: Frances, Bill, Frank, Velma, Floyd, Virginia, Joe and Vernon. Joe attended Corrigan school and he belonged and attended church at the Salvation Army church. Joe quit school and his first job was mucking out box cars for the railroad. Jonelle remembers Joe telling that the most difficult job was cleaning out the sheep cars as they were double deckers and he had to stand on his knees to scoop the two decks. He stayed at that job for about 8 years. Joe later worked at Master Craft furniture and then started working at South Omaha Meat packing plants for the next several years, ending his 22 years work career at Valhaven Nursing facility before retiring due to health issues. During Joe’s younger life he bought a Harley and joined a biker group known as the Henchmen. Joe spent hours retelling Jonelle and anyone who would listen, stories about the good times in the club. It was indeed a time that Joe was a “tough guy”, breaking up fights, calming arguments and was the Sergeant at Arms (the peace maker) in the Henchmen. At one point Joe was asked to join the Hell’s Angels, but decided against it. Because of Joe’s childhood illnesses he enjoyed working out and keeping his trim waistline. Joe first wife had a child that he adopted, Matthew Paul Ramsey. About this time, Joe became a born-again Christian and began attending Karen Street Baptist church in Omaha. Several years later Joe married Jonelle Jones and along with her two children, Jennifer and Jonathan completed his family. Joe was a loving father with his quiet calm manner, never finding the need to raise his voice. Joe was a very non-judgmental man who accepted everyone just as they are. On Saturday nights for several years Joe and Jonelle along with another couple would go to the Old Market in Omaha and enjoy the people and places. One night the two couples enjoyed a dinner at an area restaurant and Joe went outside while the rest of the party visited the bathrooms. When they came out a few minutes later from the restaurant, Joe was sitting on the hood of his car, surrounded by a group of young men who may have frightened, by their actions, other folks. Joe was telling them stories about his biker days, (he had an audience, at last) and they were intently listening to his tale. Jonelle recalled another night spent in the Old Market with she and Joe sitting on one of the curbs watching people when it started to rain. Jonelle told Joe her umbrella was in the car. He got up before the downpour started to retrieve her umbrella. Minutes past and finally Jonelle could see Joe dancing down the sidewalk towards her with the umbrella opened over his head singing very reminiscent of Gene Kelly style, he was indeed “singing in the Rain”. Once Joe was enjoying eating a piece of quiche when another young man admonished him that real men don’t eat quiche, to which Joe replied, “Ah, but real men DO eat quiche”. Joe didn’t care what others thought, he was a very self assured man. Joe enjoyed many styles of music and loved live stage performances, but his passion for the dreaded Bob Marley music was over the top. When son Jonathan was to be married, he asked Joe to be a groomsman in the wedding. This was one of the best things to happen. Joe talked about that day and his participation in the wedding party ever after that. He didn’t care that he was probably one of the oldest groomsmen ever. He loved being asked by Jon. Joe battled health issues throughout his life and needed open heart surgery in 2011. Then with a failing kidney function which caused him to endure dialysis treatments, he tolerated the treatments and then would leave to go grocery shopping in at least 2 or 3 stores. His energy was not affected, or he didn’t allow it to. The man could be heard whistling while doing dishes, he enjoyed his life. In June of 2012 a phone call from the Med Center declared that he should get to the hospital because a kidney was being flown in at 1:30 a.m. that was a match for him. Joe calmly finished his sandwich before heading to the hospital. He was there early enough that he took a nap, relaxing in the knowledge that God is in control and that he would have no need to worry. Joe’s faith in Christ saw him through many heartbreaking times, especially the death of his son Matthew in 2013. Then on January 4th, 2021 Joe fell in the kitchen of his home and hit his head on the cabinet which resulted in a brain bleed and 67 days in the hospital. Blood thinners and failing kidney function took a toll and this time Joe couldn’t sail through it as he had in the past. He got to come home for 5 days during this time only to be rushed back to the hospital where on March 19th, 2021 Joe left this earth bound for his heavenly home. Survived by his wife of 37 years, Jonelle, and children Jennifer (Hugo Arteaga) and Jonathan (wife, Tami) and his two dogs Chico and Stella. Joe was a kind, caring, patient, calm follower of Jesus Christ and spent his life trying to do as Christ commanded us, to love your neighbor as yourself. Joe donated his body to the Nebraska Anatomical Board for the Med Center in Omaha Nebraska. Ramsey, Joseph E. age 79 years of Elkhorn, NE Preceded in death by his son Matthew and 7 siblings. Survived by wife Jonelle; daughter Jennifer Jones (Hugo Arteaga) of Omaha and son Jon (Tami) Jones of Elkhorn; A Memorial Service Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 11 AM at the funeral home; Condolences to www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com Reichmuth Funeral Home 21901 W. Maple Rd. 402-289-2222