Joseph P. Veltri, age 74, passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones on January 18, 2024.  He was born on November 15th, 1949 in Detroit, MI to Peter and Virginia Veltri.  He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda, daughters, Sharon (Michael) Scott, Laura (Joe) Janukaitis, his brothers Vince (Cindy) Veltri, Mike (Kim) Veltri, his nieces Meghan (Kenan) Gillet, Jessica and nephews Ryan, Anthony, and Christopher.  He was preceded in death by his parents, in-laws Edmund and Wanda Pagano, sister Patricia Veltri, brother-in-law Charles Pagano, and his beloved English Setter, Reload.

Joe was a 1967 graduate of Cherry Hill High School and then entered the building trades.  The first 25 years of his career were spent installing HVAC systems in commercial buildings.  In the early 80s, Veltri Enterprises Incorporated was established where he applied his technical expertise to residential properties and managed the business with Linda's support.  He then earned his builder's and mechanical licenses and transitioned into a government role overseeing Building and Code Enforcement for Salem Township and the City of South Lyon.  In the years following, Joe was actively involved in various aspects of his community in Washtenaw County.  As a member of St. Joseph parish, he served as a eucharistic minister, Chairperson of the church festival and a member of the Finance Council.  Joe also belonged to Dexter Knights of Columbus where he was conferred as a Forth Degree Knight.  This honor bestowed the title of "Sir Knight" and highlighted Joe's commitment to charity, fostering the spirit of patriotism and encouraging active Catholic Citizenship.

Joe loved the outdoors and welcomed every opportunity to go fishing - particularly fly fishing.  His love for travel gave him opportunities to fish the Grand Canyon, Denali National Park and countless streams and lakes.  He always joked "trout don't live in ugly places" and made no secret that he felt closest to God surrounded by nature with a fly rod in his hand.  Joe was an exceptional craftsman and had the ability to create almost anything with his hands.  He loved spending free time in his workshop…" making sawdust" …and looked forward to gifting his creations to friends.  His scope was wide bridging from custom pens, guitars, ukuleles and decorative reindeer to wine stoppers, furniture, birdhouses, boats, and two custom homes for himself! Most recently, he made dozens of basketball games and personally delivered them to pediatric patients at two local hospitals.

As an amateur radio operator, Joe used the call sign WB8ROW to connect with others across town and around the world.  He knew morse code and even hosted his own radio show at Henry Ford Community College called Joey V's Soulful Get Together.  Traveling has also been a lifelong hobby and a favorite way to spend his free time.  From crisscrossing the US in their 38-foot motorhome to exploring the corners of the world by sea on 28 individual cruises – Joe was adventurous and loved sharing stories of his experiences with others.

Joe was a dedicated father who showered his girls with unconditional love and support.  He always made time to play Strawberry Shortcake Goes to Market, attend dance recitals, cheer from the bleachers at marching band competitions, and he would lead fundraising efforts with gusto.  For seven years, he was known as the "Bag Man" for storing cases of trash bags floor-to-ceiling alongside his woodworking tools.  He was often a friendly face in the kitchen at Spaghetti dinners or at the concession stand making "mountains of popcorn and oceans of coffee."   A proud Dad of two Spartan alumni, you would frequently see him wearing a variety of green and white clothing and playing the MSU fight song from his workshop at top volume.

Joe bravely fought his battle against Congestive Heart Failure and Kidney Failure for many years.  Despite spending much of that time in and out of the hospital, he never lost his sense of humor. Throughout his entire journey, he cracked jokes and made others smile.  His wit and kindness will be deeply missed.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 2, 2024 at St. Joseph Country Church 6805 Mast Rd., Dexter, MI  48130 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM with the funeral on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 11:00 AM, also at St. Joseph Country Church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Boys Town, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Solanus Casey Center, or St. Joseph Parish in Dexter, Michigan.