Joseph Edward ‘Joe’ Stacks II, 72, passed away Sunday, April 3, 2016, after a lengthy illness. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew and loved him. He went to be with his heavenly father on a beautiful spring day where the air was crisp, the wind blowing at times and the sky almost an azure blue without a cloud in the sky.
Joe was born in Washington, D.C., on February 21, 1944. He was the third of 12 children born to the late Joseph Elmer Stacks and Janet Jacqueline Heatwole. He grew up in Falls Church, Va., where he worked at a young age on several paper routes. Joe was baptized at the Falls Church, Falls Church, Va., along with nine of his brothers and sisters. An article about the family baptism was featured in the Washington Post.
Joe showed leadership early in his role as the oldest boy in his family and as president of his freshman class at Falls Church High School, Falls Church, Va. He played J.V. baseball at Falls Church High School and graduated in 1962. Joe attended and graduated from Ferrum Jr. College in 1964, where he met his future wife, Nancy Harris. Joe graduated from East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tenn., in 1969 with a major in history and a minor in political science.
Joe was in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Sill, Okla., and Pleiku, Republic of South Vietnam. He received the Army Commendation Medal for exceptionally meritorious service in the Republic of Vietnam from November 1967 to January 1969. Joe married Nancy Harris in September 1969.
Joe began his career in textiles at Klopman Mills in Johnson City, Tenn. He was transferred to Denton and worked for Klopman Mills, and later Burlington Industries, where he was a knit department manager, product development manager and was later transferred to the Mayodan Plant as a plant superintendent. He spent two years working at Burlington Corporate Offices in Greensboro. He worked a total of 28 ½ years for Klopman/Burlington industries.
When the Burlington Plant in Denton was closed, Joe moved to Wilmington in 1996 to take a job in management at Steveco Knit and to be closer to his children. When the Steveco Knit Plant closed, Joe took a position in real estate at Winding River in Brunswick County. Later, he formed his own company, Stacks Realty. He was involved in coaching youth sports (baseball, basketball and softball), helped with the Webelos and taught Sunday school at Central United Methodist Church in Denton. He was president of Denton High School’s and South Davidson High School’s booster clubs for many years. Joe also taught textile classes at North Carolina State University.
He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Elmer Stacks, his sister, Sandra Stacks; and his brother, Scott Stacks (Betty).
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nancy Harris Stacks; children, Brent Stacks (Kellee) and Alyssa Harrell (Hugh); grandchildren, Tyler, Dylan and Chelsea Stacks and Natalie, Meredith and Evan Harrell; mother, Janet Sisk; sisters, Jackie Block, Barbara Gibson, Marjie Fairbanks and Rebecca Stacks; brothers, John Stacks, Wayne Stacks (Priska), Steve Stacks (Marnie), Jerry Stacks (Veronica) and David Stacks (Cecelia); and numerous nieces and nephews.
His children and grandchildren were the joy of his life. He had a love of reading; he enjoyed cooking, drawing, painting and woodworking. His was a life well lived.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at Andrews Mortuary Valley Chapel. A service celebrating Joe’s life will be held at 2 p.m. following visitation at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Oleander Memorial Gardens with military honors.
The family respectfully requests contributions be made to cancer research in memory of Joseph E. Stacks II.
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