Josef Maurer

PORTAGE – Josef Maurer, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at St. Mary Hospital in Madison.

Joe was born on August 22, 1938 in Croatia, the son of Josef and Therese (Rock) Maurer.  He grew up in Austria and moved to the United States in 1956.  He was married on May 15, 1965 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Portage to Susan York.  She preceded him in death on January 1, 2016.  He served his country with the United States Marine Corp.  Joe had worked for many Madison area contractors and was a member of Plumbers Local #167.  He was the owner and operator of Josef’s Plumbing in Portage.  Joe was a member of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Portage, he was a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, a member of the Dr. C.W. Henney Knights of Columbus Council #1637, and the Richard Mulcahy American Legion Post #47, Portage.

He is survived by his children, Joe (Dara) Maurer, Mt. Horeb, Warren (Jennifer) Maurer, Columbus, and Kathy (Scott) Knapton, Fairbanks, AK;  his grandchildren, Joe and Zoe Maurer, Paige and Meghan Maurer, Hailey, Briar and Molly Knapton, Neil and Wyatt Barhite, Audrey (Nick Smith) Martinovich;  his great-grandson, Xavier Martinovich;  his brother, Stephen (Rosemary) Maurer, Graz, Austria;  his sister, Therese Hofmann, Gross Klein, Austria;  his brother-in-law, Don Watzke, Fitchburg;   other near relatives and many close friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister-in-law, Judy Watzke, and his brother-in-law, Edward Hofmann.                   

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 3, 2020, at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with Fr. Gary Krahenbuhl presiding.  Military honors will be provided by Portage Area Veterans Honor Guard. Private inurnment will be in St. Mary Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the church.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942.