Joseph Rath

JOE RATH March 4, 1926 - May 29, 2016 Eight Bells have tolled. His watch complete, Joe Rath, one of the "The Greatest Generation", went home to be with the Lord on May 29, 2016. A native of Chico, he was born March 4, 1926, to John and Mary Rath, who immigrated from Austria a few years earlier. He was the third of four children: sister, Mary and brothers, John and Charles. He grew up on a family farm in the community of Kirkwood, California, south of Corning, and attended the one-room Kirkwood Elementary School along with his siblings. He graduated from Corning High School, where he played football in between farm chores. He and his Brothers were known as the Harley Motorcycle guys from Kirkwood. Like many of the neighbor boys his age, he worked hard and played hard. He was the unofficial school yard wrestling champion and made all the boys, even older ones, loudly cry "uncle." Joining his classmates and others who grew up on rural farms throughout the United States, he answered the call of World War II. He proudly served as a Seaman in the Merchant Marines, hauling vital war material to various ports of call in European and Pacific Theaters. He related many maritime stories of shipping on the high seas; successfully running German submarine U-Boat blockades on their way to Europe and surviving vicious storms that threatened to tear their heavily ladened Liberty ship in half. He was especially proud to have played a part in ship convoys of war material. He and his shipmates were fortunate to have survived, as a number Liberty Ships were sunk by German submarines. Many mariners were not as fortunate, as their ships, laden with military cargo and supplies, were torpedoed and in a mere thundering flash of brilliance, all was lost. Zigzagging convoys closed ranks without hesitation and stoically continued forward, slowly plowing the dark ocean towards their port of call, all the while knowing they may be sunk. After the War, Joe worked as a cable splicer and telephone technician for AT&T in San Francisco. While living in San Francisco he again met Rosalie Schiavone, to whom he had been introduced several years earlier while on leave. She was the love of his life and they were married on September 19, 1948. Together they moved to Chico to raise a family and begin a commercial poultry business. They had three sons; Steve, Bruce and Rand. Joe was always a down-to-earth, hard working guy. In addition to farm responsibilities, he was employed by Pacific Gas & Electric Company for 37 years where he held numerous positions including Gas Serviceman. As Serviceman he was proud to serve, as he called them, "his customers," throughout the years in the Chico area. Joe was the kind of man who never met a stranger, was always willing to help and had many interesting perspectives and sayings about life; "growing old is like a roll of toilet paper, the more you use the, faster it goes," "I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in," "God decides your birth date and when he will call you home. How we use the time in between is up to each one of us"… As a master backyard inventor and mechanic with many learned trade skills, he could build or fix anything, even if it was never made to be fixed. Joe was proud of his family and leaves behind his beloved wife and teammate of 68 years, Rosalie; son Steve, his wife Janet, grandson Tyler, his wife Marjean and their children, Border, Callie and RJ, granddaughter Jalene, her husband Will, and their children, Quinn and Delaney; son Bruce, his wife Debi; son Rand, his wife Lisa, granddaughter Emily, grandson Luke and many nieces, nephews and their families. Joe will be missed by all who knew and loved him. As a man of the Greatest Generation and one who witnessed the making of history in all its facets, two words sum up his life: well done!