Joe was a long term resident of Manor Park. a fine man and a fine neighbour to all. He was worldly, yet faithfully devoted to the memory of his wife who passed away some twenty-odd years ago. He was a helper at St Nicholas Church, and helpful to all kinds of people regardless - even if he didn't like or accept everything about them. He spent most of his life working for a large automobile manufacturer in East London, and refused promotions that were easily available to him and that would have given him easy wealth and power - he refused them because they were expected to be taken with corruptions and temptations that he did not approve of, ones that violated his clear sense of Right and Wrong.
He was industrious, hearty, energetic and full of life. He would fight, for example Newham Council, against apathy and complacency if there was something that was blatantly unjust.
Joe was steadfastly independent and himself never asked others for help and seldom demanded the return of a favour. But unlike some caricature of holiness, he could criticise people for their failings. He was a consummate human being - real, alive, intelligent, and as earthy as you would expect of someone who made East London his home.
Joe was Rock Solid.
Joe will be sorely missed, by myself and many others, and even those people who might have taken him for granted. There are few people about of his character and nature. They don't make people like that anymore, but as he was a model and inspiration in his life, I hope the memory of him shall in some small way remain as a model for how people should be, in these modern times when selfishness and uncaring are too easily left unchallenged.