Joseph A. “Joe” Henry, Jr., 82, of Goff, Kansas, died Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008 at the Holton Community Hospital.

He was born on the original Henry homestead south of Seneca, on March 19, 1926, the son of Joseph, Sr. and Hedwig Waller Henry. He attended Sts. Peter & Paul School in Seneca through the eighth grade, and later obtained his high school GED. Joe served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946 and also from 1951 to 1952, first at Naval Training Station (NTS) Farragut in Idaho and later aboard the battleship USS Alabama. After discharge, he worked as a mechanic at Mishler’s car dealership in Sabetha.

On November 14, 1949, he married Evelyn Feldkamp at St. Patrick’s Church in Corning. They initially lived in Albany, Kansas, then in the Woodlawn area, before making their permanent home on a farm northeast of Goff, where Evelyn still resides.

In 1954, Joe began farming jointly with his brothers “Frenchy” (Francis) and Don, and later Jim. While they were busy farming 3,000 acres and running dairy farms, the opportunity arose to purchase the International Harvester farm implement dealerships in Seneca and Holton. On March 1, 1969, with his brothers Frenchy, Don and Jim, they opened Henry Brothers, Inc. in Holton and Seneca. Later Joe’s brother Dennis and his nephew Gary joined the business. In 1986, they expanded with a new dealership branch in Hiawatha. Joe was recognized as Jackson County Businessman of the Year in 1974 by the Jackson County Farm Bureau.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus 1769 of Seneca, and later a charter member of the Wetmore Knights council, the Heald-Thieme Post #316 of the American Legion of Goff, the National Farmers Union, and St. James Catholic Church in Wetmore. In 1988 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Citizens State Bank in Seneca by the chairman and president, Michael Gullion. Joe enjoyed playing cards, going to the local casinos, fishing, spending time with family and friends, farming, and attending Tuesday Social Club in Goff.

Besides his wife Evelyn of the home, he is survived by three daughters, Rosemary Henry and Kathy Scheid, both of Holton, and Joyce Stallbaumer of Wetmore; five sons, Michael of Mayetta, Wayne of Holton, Alan of Wetmore, and Tom and Jeffrey, both of Topeka; eight brothers, “Frenchy” (Francis) of Wetmore, Donald of Goff, Robert, James, and Dennis, all of Seneca, Regis of Centralia, Lawrence of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Kenneth of Topeka; two sisters, Edith Rombeck of Topeka and Mary Jo Barrett of Charlotte, North Carolina; 23 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Wednesday, March 26, at St. Patrick’s Church in Corning. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Tuesday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for the Holton Community Hospital, and sent in care of the family.