Joseph Crotty

Joseph Irwin Crotty, 84, left this earth and entered into peaceful rest on Friday, April 15, 2022. He died in his beloved home with loving family at his side. Joe was born on May 3, 1937, in Storm Lake, Iowa and spent most of his youth in International Falls, Minnesota, which he adored and spoke of often, recently writing that he “considered himself lucky to have been surrounded by the forest, the lakes, the river, and the people of the Falls.” He was an all-star athlete at International Falls High School, where he was recently inducted into the Broncos Hall of Fame. He continued his sports career at St. John’s University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Social Science in the class of 1959. He served in the army for four years as well as the reserve for four years and achieved the rank of captain. His next phase of life gave him three children: Kim, born in Minnesota, followed by Kathy and then Shawn, both born in Washington State. In the Seattle area, he took a job at the Boeing Company, where he met his wife Judy, with whom he began his 34-year marriage. Together, they raised his two stepchildren, Sue and Sandy, in Wenatchee, and Joe worked at St. Anthony's Hospital, before Joe and Judy relocated to Yakima. He described his relationship with Judy as a once in a lifetime love, and together they created a lovely home filled with mementos of their shared love of antique collecting, vacations to the Oregon Coast, and Joe’s passion for hunting. Their house was home to innumerable birthday dinners, Christmases, and sleepovers, visited and loved by their children and grandchildren, and a second home to their granddaughter Courtney. Joe also worked for Memorial Hospital in Yakima and finished his career in purchasing with the City of Ellensburg, though he probably spoke most fondly about his first career – a frigid paper route in International Falls. Joe had a great love of the outdoors and spent many of his last days describing adventures from childhood and young adulthood. He also loved music and could often be caught humming along in his beautiful voice or tapping his college ring on the steering wheel to the beat of an ABBA song. He was described by many as a man of few words – words that were wise and cherished – and he had a strong and peaceful presence that made others feel welcome and at ease. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and teammates. He is survived by his daughters Kim Jensen (Rick) and Kathy Hagen (Mike); son Shawn Crotty; stepdaughters Sue Speigner and Sandy Irwin; siblings Sue Nickerson (C.J.), Kay Mooney, Pat Crotty (Virginia), Linda Dacy (John), and Mike Crotty; nine grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Judy Crotty, brother Jim Crotty, and parents Irwin and Grace Crotty. Services will be held at 1pm on Monday, May 16, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Burien, Washington. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joseph Crotty, please visit our flower store.