| Notes |
- Joseph Miner died Wednesday, July 17, in Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Corvallis, following a long struggle with complications of diabetes with consequent major organ failure.
Joe was born in Sweet Home, the eighth of 15 children of James M. Miner Sr. and Dorothy (Dickinson) Miner. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1971 and lived in several places in the Willamette Valley before moving to Corvallis in 1971.
In 1999 Joe moved to the Bridges Group Home, where he really found his niche as the patriarch of his new family. Everybody looked up to Joe — because he was loyal, knowledgeable, a good problem-solver, compassionate and helpful, and his sense of humor was priceless.
In Corvallis, Joe was a leader in the community of persons with developmental disabilities, serving as mentor, advocate, role model and participant in a range of important activities. He participated in Special Olympics for 40 years, excelling in softball, bowling, bocce, basketball, track and field.
Joe served on the boards of directors of the Arc of Benton County, People First and the Oregon Developmental Disabilities Council. He had the opportunity to participate in many statewide conferences and conventions, and went to Salt Lake City in 2002 as an Oregon representative to a Western regional conference.
Joe was active in Corvallis Evangelical Church, where he loved to serve as usher and greeter. He also was a leader in the Ecumenical Christian Education group and over the years played practically every role (except Mary!) in the legendary Christmas pageant. He especially enjoyed the summer Vacation Church Workshop. Joe was a champion camper at Upward Bound Camp in Lyons for 11 years.
He was best known for his compassion, his sensitivity to others, his helping hand always outstretched to others who needed an extra boost. He was the gold standard among his peers for community involvement. As recently as two months ago he was still active in community service projects, including volunteering at Vina Moses Center.
Joe had two families: his Sweet Home biological family and his Bridges Group Home family. He is survived by two sisters, Ethel Gray of Lebanon and Sharon Miner of Sweet Home; and 10 brothers, Dale of Corvallis, David (Sherry) of Tigard, Dan (Jan) and Ron of Lebanon, Bob (Maureen), Ted (Mindy), Mike (Helen) and Tony of Sweet Home, Lloyd of Albany, and Bill (Cindy) of Cedar Hills, Utah; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Jim; and sister Joyce.
In Corvallis, Joe is survived by his Bridges family, including his brother Dale; staff and caregivers Kinsey Green, Vicki Bolton, Tina Eveleth, Tina Darnell and Silky Curtis; and residents Susan Strassmaier, Amber Fuller and Aimee Chapman. He was preceded in death by his best friends/housemates Harriett Ann Green, Betty Hyman and Ken Johnston.
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1952 - 2013 (60 years)
