Harold Joseph “Joe” Love, 79, of Seneca, Kansas, died on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at his home, after years of battling cancer and COPD.

Joe was born on September 5, 1930 to Charles and Elizabeth “Lizzy” Nissen Love in Elmont, Kansas. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to a farm southwest of Wetmore. Joe attended school in Wetmore and graduated from 8th grade in 1944.

In 1951, Joe enlisted into the U.S. Army and served his country during the Korean War, and as a paratrooper in Berlin, where he was present for the historic Berlin airlift operation. He was discharged from the military in 1953. He returned to Nemaha County and while attending a Legion dance at the Nemaha County Lake, he met his future wife.

On June 8, 1955 he married Edna Mae “Eddy” Osterhaus at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict. The couple made their home in Seneca where they raised four children and celebrated 54 years of marriage.

With his brother-in-law Gilbert Osterhaus, he owned Love and Osterhaus Builders, constructing several homes in Seneca and the surrounding area, including the 1973 addition to Lauer Funeral Home. He retired in 1987.

During the late 1950s, Joe regularly raced car number 55 at the Nemaha County Speedway in Oneida, north of Goff and east of Seneca.

Joe was elected to the Seneca Volunteer Fire Department in January 1962 and retired in 1982, after 20 years and 8 months of service. During his tenure on the fire department he was the caretaker of the water wagon from 1965 to 1966; Lieutenant of Truck #1 in 1967 and 1977; and Captain of Truck #1 from 1971 through 1973 and in 1977. He was often on the fire department’s dance committee. He also served with the Fire Police from 1979 through 1982 and was the Chief of the Fire Police from 1980 to 1981.

He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, where he was an usher for over 40 years, the St. Joseph’s Society, the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Earl W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion, and the Knights of Columbus Council 1769, all in Seneca.

Joe celebrated 17 years of sobriety with the Seneca AA. He was a man who enjoyed being outdoors and took pleasure in camping.

Joe was preceded in death by his father in 1969 and his mother in 1971; a granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Love on November 28, 1986; and a great-granddaughter, Hanna Elizabeth Love on December 28, 2003.

He is survived by his wife Eddy; his sons, William (Sara) Love and Gary (Eileen) Love, both of Seneca; his daughters, Jill (Mark) Boyce of Valley Falls and Janet (Michael) Bradley of Leawood; his sister, Blanch Eisenbarth of Holton; his brother, George Love of Rossville; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM on Wednesday, October 21, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 AM Thursday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery, with full military honors by the Seneca American Legion and VFW.

Memorials may be given in Joe’s memory for the Seneca Fire Department Museum or the Sts. Peter & Paul Building Fund, and sent in care of the family.