Joseph Reich, Jr.

Joseph Henry Reich Jr, 78, of San Diego, CA was called home Wednesday October 13, 2021.  Born September 16, 1943, in Winston-Salem, NC, he was the son of the late Joseph Henry and Hazel Jones Reich Sr.  He was married for 40 years to Judy Carolyn Shore Reich, who preceded him in death in 2006.  Joe served his country in the U.S. Navy on a minesweeper during the Cuban Missile Crisis before joining Reynolds American where he worked until retirement at age 55.  After a short stint of retirement, he worked part-time at Lowes Foods in Clemmons, NC where he was much loved by the staff and customers alike.  While residing in NC, Joe was an active member of Fries Memorial Moravian Church where he was the resident expert for coffee preparations and loved the Ladies’ Fellowship’s chicken pies.  His membership and fellowship with Fries continued even after moving to Orlando, FL to live with his daughter and her family.  His love of food, friends, and church was only trumped by his love of his country and family.  Papa Joe, as he liked to be called, was also called Uncle Ho-Ho by children, capturing his jovial rapport with the younger set.  He genuinely loved living and was a kid at heart.  Before the family relocated to San Diego, you could often find him eating breakfast at Sweet Mama’s, talking politics with the neighbors, at Disney World with his grandchildren, and making his homemade key lime pies for friends and family—a tradition that continued on the West coast.

Papa Joe was also preceded in death by his brother Donald Reich and leaves to cherish his memory the following family members: his sister Penny Locke and her husband Ned of Drakes Branch, VA; his sister-in-law Brenda Reich of Advance, NC; his sister-in-law Bonnie Shore of Walkertown, NC; his sister-in-law Wanda Parnell of Walkertown, NC; his daughter Erin and his beloved son-in-law Layton Smith of San Diego, CA; his grandson Carswell Smith; his three granddaughters: Hannah Shore, Elizabeth Smith, and Caroline Smith; and nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.  Papa Joe was also precious to many friends in Winston-Salem, Orlando, and San Diego.  He will be deeply missed.

A graveside service will be held at 2pm on Thursday October 21, 2021 at Salem Moravian Graveyard in Winston-Salem with the Rev. Dr. Worth Green officiating.  Memorials may be made to Fries Memorial Moravian Church, 251 Hawthorne Road N.W., Winston-Salem, NC 27104.