MOUNT VERNON - Joseph Aloys
Pfister, 67, of Posey County, passed away at 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, October 25,
2006, at VNA Hospice Center in Evansville.
As a youngster he learned to farm helping his dad and brothers.
Earning money farming for others plus working in the oil fields enabled him to
buy his first automobile at age 16. During his young years, he also groomed,
trained and rode show horses in equestrian events and spent some time racing
cars in Florida. After graduation from Mount Vernon High School, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a
military policeman during the Vietnam War Era.
At Caterpillar Tractor Co. in Davenport, Iowa, he began working as a toolmaker and
gear technician apprentice and was distinguished as being the highest ranking
Caterpillar graduate. After 8 years experience as a machinist, he became a
manufacturing engineer supervisor, earned an associate degree from Iowa University and was supervisor of the A.L.T.C. He
was a machine shop foreman for Dempster Dumpster
Systems in Knoxville, Tenn., and held the same position later at Blaw Knox Milling and Machinery Co. in Wheeling, W.Va.
He supported union efforts in his jobs to improve working
conditions and benefits for employees and served in leadership capacities for
this cause. At Union Carbide Corp.⁄Martin
Marietta Energy Systems later know as Lockheed Martin in Oak Ridge, Tenn., he worked as a machinist manufacturing
nuclear weapons for the U.S. Government. He then became a chemical operator in
enriched uranium recovery operations for the same plant, and was a certified
hazardous waste operator.
He was a member of the T.O.T.A.C and Road Knights keeping up his
lifelong love of automobiles. His interest and hobbies were numerous and
diverse. He attempted to and did see most all of nature's creations and the
historical sites in the U.S. He attended the Indy 500 every year
since his first chance to go in 1954 until his heath began to fail. He liked
restoring automobiles, boating, water skiing, snowmobiles, antique memorabilia,
photography, traveling by motorhome, specific music
selections ranging from Copland to Cash, evolution, ancient history, car shows,
steam engine trains, paddlewheel boats, politics, the night sky lights, storms
approaching and intellectual conversations. He was a perfectionist in all he
set out to do and always believed in being prepared for the unexpected.
He was preceded in death by is parents, Maude Viola and Francis
Aloysius Pfister, half brothers, Kenneth Duncan and
Grover (Junior) Duncan and a half sister, Mary McCollum.
Surviving are his wife Sara; sister-in-law, Janet Duncan of
Albion, Ill.; cousin, Priscilla Kelly of Mt. Vernon, Ind.; stepsister, Janet
Mack of Lake Wales, Fla.; stepsons, Alec Henn of
Evansville and Marc Henn of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven stepgrandchildren, Rachel, Aleigha,
Marisa, Miriam, Rivers, Brecklyn and Bryson Henn; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 11:30 a.m. Friday, October 27, 2006,
at Austin Funeral Home, 1330 East Fourth Street in Mount Vernon, Ind., with
Rev. Kenneth Steckler officiating. Burial will be in Bellefontaine Cemetery in Mount Vernon, with military rites. Friends may
call from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today, October 26, and from 10:30 a.m. to service time on Friday at Austin
Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung
Association. Special condolences can be made online at
www.austinfuneralhome.com
(June 22, 1939 - October 25, 2006)
Joseph Aloys Pfister, 67 of Posey County, passed away at 7:20 am, Wednesday, October 25,
2006 at VNA Hospice Center in Evansville, IN.
As a youngster
he learned to farm helping his dad and brothers. Earning money farming for
others plus working in the oil fields enabled him to buy his first automobile
at age 16. During his young years, he also groomed, trained and rode show
horses in equestrian events and spent some time racing cars in Florida. After graduation from Mt. Vernon High School, he joined the US Army and served as a
military policeman during the Vietnam War Era.
At Caterpillar
Tractor Co in Davenport, IA he bean working as a toolmaker and gear
technician apprentice and was distinguished as being the highest ranking
Caterpillar graduate. After 8 years experience as a machinist, he became a
manufacturing engineer supervisor, earned an associate degree from Iowa University and was supervisor of the A.L.T.C. He
was a machine shop foreman for Dempster Dumpster
Systems in Knoxville, TN and held the same position later at Blaw Knox Milling and Machinery Co. in Wheeling, WV. He supported union efforts in his jobs
to improve working conditions and benefits for employees and served in
leadership capacities for this cause. At Union Carbide Corp.⁄Martin
Marietta Energy Systems later know as Lockheed Martin in Oak Ridge, TN, he worked as a machinist manufacturing
nuclear weapons for the US Government. He then became a chemical operator in
enriched uranium recovery operations for the same plant, and was a certified
hazardous waste operator. He was a member of the T.OT.A.C and Road Knights
keeping up his lifelong love of automobiles. His interest and hobbies were
numerous and diverse. He attempted to and did see most all of natures creations
and the historical sites in the U.S. He attended the Indy 500 every year
since his first chance to go in 1954 until his heath began to fail. He liked
restoring automobiles, boating, water skiing, snowmobiles, antique memorabilia,
photography, traveling by motorhome, specific music
selections ranging from Copland to Cash, evolution, ancient history, car shows,
steam engine trains, paddlewheel boats, politics, the night sky lights, storms
approaching and intellectual conversations. He was a perfectionist in all he
set out to do and always believed in being prepared for the unexpected.
He was preceded
in death by is parents, Maude Viola and Francis Aloysius Pfister,
half brothers, Kenneth Duncan and Grover (Junior) Duncan and a half sister Mary
McCollum.
Surviving are
his wife Sara; sister-in-law, Janet Duncan of Albion, IL; cousin, Priscilla Kelly
of Mt. Vernon, IN; step-sister, Janet Mack of Lake Wales, FL; stepsons Alec Henn of Evansville, IN and Marc Henn
of Cincinnati, OH; seven step-grandchildren, Rachel, Aleigha,
Marisa, Miriam, Rivers, Brecklyn and Bryson Henn; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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Originally submitted by Betty Sellers