Joseph Lamoureux

Joseph George Lamoureux, of Alpine, Utah, passed away peacefully from this life July 25, 2017, surrounded by members of his family.

Born December 9, 1936, in Bluefield, he was a son of the late George Joseph Lamoureux and Lida Patricia Oxley.

Joe graduated from high school in Princeton and earned a Bachelor of Science from Concord University and a MA in Music Education from Radford University.
An accomplished trumpet player, Joe was an educator and band conductor in a career that spanned more than 35 years. He taught in the public schools of Rural Retreat and Blacksburg, Virginia, and Royersford, Pennsylvania.

In 1971, Joe became the Director of Bands of the Virginia Tech to start a civilian band. Later, he became director of the famed Highty-Tighties (Cadet) Band. During his tenure, the band performed for two Presidential Inaugural Parades and several Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades in New York. After serving at Virginia Tech, he was the Director of Bands and a trumpet professor at Southern Utah State University.

In addition to his full-time career as an educator, Joe expressed his passion for teaching and music by leading several master classes and national clinics in music direction and marching band techniques.

In 1983, Joe was invited to return to Rural Retreat schools where he taught and influenced a new generation of music students. Sadly, he was forced to retire early in the summer of 1993 due to a massive stroke. It left him partially paralyzed and without the ability to speak. He has spent the last 24 years with his loving and dedicated wife, Pat, on their farm near Rural Retreat, Virginia.

Later in life, Joe was an active member in the Senior Citizen groups in Rural Retreat, Virginia, and Alpine, Utah. He was faithful in his Catholic communities wherever he went. He was an avid reader.

He is survived by his wife, the former Patricia Sharp, of Marlinton and Alpine, Utah; children Christopher (Cathy), Laura (Stacey Mulkey), Patrick and Lida (Bob Mitchell); grandchildren, Michael, Taarna Scaccia (Hopkins), Patrick, Sarah (Croxford), Jessica, Sarah Scaccia, Miça Lamoureux-Tacotaco, Megan (Norman), Joseph Lee, Rachel, Gilbert and Jeremy Mulkey; two step-grandchildren, Josh Mulkey and Josh Mitchell; twelve great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was a beloved Patriarch and Grandpa.

Funeral Mass was held August 5 at St. Mary the Mother of God Catholic Church in Wytheville, Virginia. Interment and Prayer Service followed at Rosewood Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Rural Retreat, Virginia.