About My Dad……
My Dad, Joe Waskul, grew up in Willis, Michigan, about 45 miles SW of Detroit. He was born March 19, 1924. His parents moved there for the employment offered to immigrants by the Ford Motor Company. They were a Ukrainian family trying to make a go of it in America. My dad and his 3 brothers, Paul, Carl & Alex lived there with their parents William & Anna Waskul. They attended the Lincoln Consolidated School system and got their education there. Anna Waskul, their mother, embraced being Jehovah’s Witnesses and instilled this in her sons, Joe, Carl, & Alex.
Seventeen years later from when Dad was born, around 1939 or 1940, WWII was flaring up. While most young men of that age were enlisting in the military, my dad spent 4 years in Chillicothe, Ohio penitentiary as a conscientious objector to the war. After getting out of prison, he spent his time pioneering in different territories where the need was great.
In 1953, he met my mother, Betty Jayne, at an international assembly in New York at Yankee Stadium. On March 20, 1954, they were married at the Wayne Congregation in Detroit. They continued to attend there until my Dad built our house (with his own hands) in Willis, Mi. and then was attending the Milan Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 1970, they moved to North Branch, Mi. and came to be part of the Lapeer, Michigan Kingdom Hall. They lived there for about 6 years and moved to Mt. Clemens, Michigan, in 1976 to be closer to Joe & myself as we were starting our family and they were going to be grandparents for the first time. Three grand-kids later, they were active grandparents, parents and beloved members of the Mt. Clemens Kingdom Hall.
In 1996, Joe, myself and the children had to move to Benson, North Carolina for employment reasons. It was the first time our families had to live so far apart. In 1997, Joe & Betty moved to Benson to be close to us, as they were getting up in years. They became part of the Dunn, North Carolina Congregation, and served with them until they moved in with Joe & I in 2005, where they served at the Masonboro Congregation in Wilmington, NC. through the end of their days. We feel very blessed to have had them in our home for over 9 years.
My mother, Betty passed away peacefully in our home on November 24, 2013 where Bruce Torgeson prayed with our family and performed a memorial service at the local Kingdom Hall.
On Friday, November 28, 2014, Joseph Waskul, my father passed away peacefully in Wilmington, NC. My husband Joe, three children (Rachel, Joe Jr., and Leah) as well as my grandchildren (Kailey Jearlds and Jocelyn Nicke) were by his side. A special thanks for Mark Allgauer and Bob Moore (and their wives Dianna and Jill) for joining and consoling our family with scripture, experiences, and prayer as we said goodbye to my father.
We want to thank the many brothers and sisters who visited the Waskul’s over the years here in NC and brought much love to everyone. The Allgauer’s provided transportation to assemblies and meetings. Ann Torgeson made the best muffins that my dad thoroughly enjoyed!
Again, thank you everyone from the Wilmington NC. Area Kingdom Halls.
Because the Waskul’s have family and touched so many throughout the US, we will have a virtual memorial service where all can attend. This service will be in line with Joe Waskul’s strong faith in Jehovah God and hope of once again being reunited with Betty.
Sarah Nicke
My Dad, Joe Waskul, grew up in Willis, Michigan, about 45 miles SW of Detroit. He was born March 19, 1924. His parents moved there for the employment offered to immigrants by the Ford Motor Company. They were a Ukrainian family trying to make a go of it in America. My dad and his 3 brothers, Paul, Carl & Alex lived there with their parents William & Anna Waskul. They attended the Lincoln Consolidated School system and got their education there. Anna Waskul, their mother, embraced being Jehovah’s Witnesses and instilled this in her sons, Joe, Carl, & Alex.
Seventeen years later from when Dad was born, around 1939 or 1940, WWII was flaring up. While most young men of that age were enlisting in the military, my dad spent 4 years in Chillicothe, Ohio penitentiary as a conscientious objector to the war. After getting out of prison, he spent his time pioneering in different territories where the need was great.
In 1953, he met my mother, Betty Jayne, at an international assembly in New York at Yankee Stadium. On March 20, 1954, they were married at the Wayne Congregation in Detroit. They continued to attend there until my Dad built our house (with his own hands) in Willis, Mi. and then was attending the Milan Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 1970, they moved to North Branch, Mi. and came to be part of the Lapeer, Michigan Kingdom Hall. They lived there for about 6 years and moved to Mt. Clemens, Michigan, in 1976 to be closer to Joe & myself as we were starting our family and they were going to be grandparents for the first time. Three grand-kids later, they were active grandparents, parents and beloved members of the Mt. Clemens Kingdom Hall.
In 1996, Joe, myself and the children had to move to Benson, North Carolina for employment reasons. It was the first time our families had to live so far apart. In 1997, Joe & Betty moved to Benson to be close to us, as they were getting up in years. They became part of the Dunn, North Carolina Congregation, and served with them until they moved in with Joe & I in 2005, where they served at the Masonboro Congregation in Wilmington, NC. through the end of their days. We feel very blessed to have had them in our home for over 9 years.
My mother, Betty passed away peacefully in our home on November 24, 2013 where Bruce Torgeson prayed with our family and performed a memorial service at the local Kingdom Hall.
On Friday, November 28, 2014, Joseph Waskul, my father passed away peacefully in Wilmington, NC. My husband Joe, three children (Rachel, Joe Jr., and Leah) as well as my grandchildren (Kailey Jearlds and Jocelyn Nicke) were by his side. A special thanks for Mark Allgauer and Bob Moore (and their wives Dianna and Jill) for joining and consoling our family with scripture, experiences, and prayer as we said goodbye to my father.
We want to thank the many brothers and sisters who visited the Waskul’s over the years here in NC and brought much love to everyone. The Allgauer’s provided transportation to assemblies and meetings. Ann Torgeson made the best muffins that my dad thoroughly enjoyed!
Again, thank you everyone from the Wilmington NC. Area Kingdom Halls.
Because the Waskul’s have family and touched so many throughout the US, we will have a virtual memorial service where all can attend. This service will be in line with Joe Waskul’s strong faith in Jehovah God and hope of once again being reunited with Betty.
Sarah Nicke