On November 09, 2022, Joe Barrett passed away at Northern Nevada Veterans Home.

Born February 23, 1932 in Tennessee. He was one of five sons, all have passed but a brother, Wayne who resides in Houston, Texas.

Joe is survived by his wife, Eugenia (Jeanne), a daughter, Sharon Andrews of North Carolina, a son, Louis Steven of Phoenix, Arizona, three grandchildren, one great grandson and five stepchildren.

Joe grew up with back breaking work on the farm. He woke very early each morning to attend animals but milking and feeding was not his forte. One day he passed by a recruiting office, thinking this would be an easier job than the farm life. He joined the U.S. Army where he became a combat medic and was sent to Korea. Two times he came close to death. The first time was when his regiment was ambushed going up the North Korean pass, they were told no enemy forces were there so all weapons were taken away from the men. The front of the regiment was demolished, Joe escaped death by pulling dead and wounded bodies over himself in a ditch on the side of the road. A second time was during a quiet time in the war, he decided to take a trip and go sightseeing by himself and accidentally found himself in an enemy camp. These enemy soldiers, starving and dressed in rags, wondered what this young teenager was doing here. Surrounded, he found some C-rations in the jeep he drove and offered it to them. Joe ended up spending the day taking pictures with them from a camera he brought along, they all were having a party! As the day ended, Joe wondered what was going to happen when he tried to leave. As he slowly drove away from the enemy camp, it became apparent that they were not going to harm him. He said he thanked God for sparing his life.

Joe wrote a small book called “A Soldiers Reward”, it sells for $12.95 by Christian Faith Publishing and any Amazon proceeds go to a Christian ministry.

After the U.S. Army, he joined the U.S. Air Force and in 1953, Joe left the military. He went to work for the Federal Government at the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, CA. After he resigned from the Sierra Army Depot, he joined the City of Reno Police Department in 1960. He had temporary assignments and work exchange positions with other outside agencies like the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. He served with the Secret Service during the Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan administration. Joe came to know President Johnson so well that he was invited to Johnsons ranch at one point.

In 1982, Joe retired as a Lieutenant from the Reno Police Department where he was in charge of the Traffic Division. He retired to Arizona until 2010 but with his health declining, he returned to Reno to be near the Veterans Hospital and later into the Veterans Home.

A Celebration of Life for Joe Barrett will be held Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 at 10:00 AM at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley Nevada.

After the ceremony, a luncheon will be held at “The Voice in the Wilderness” Church located at 513 East 2nd Street in Reno. (A few yards from the Reno Police Department)