Obituary of Joe E. Rettke
Joe was born in Tacoma, WA to Billy And Virginia Rettke. He died peacefully in his beloved Taj Mahut at his home in Portland, OR after a nine year cancer journey
He was a longtime broadcast engineer at KPTV, retiring in 1996. After retiring, Joe found a “retirement job” at Seimans Building Technologies and worked there until 2000. He then tried real retirement for four years but then realized he needed another challenge. Joe opened the Missing Link Bicycle Shop in NE Portland in 2005, where he met many new friends.
He reluctantly sold the shop in 2012 after his cancer diagnosis.
Joe was an avid outdoorsman, a talented photographer, a musician and all around raconteur. He was described by some as the most charismatic member of his family. Among many fond memories, a fall trip he and Leslie took back East a few years ago stands out. They started in Vermont and drove all the way down to Memphis,TN; indulging in his hobbies of birdwatching, bourbon and blues music.
He is survived by his wife Leslie Smith; his mother Virginia Colyar; and his siblings Marcie Sneddon, Jenny Lynn Raudibaugh, Gus Rettke(Vickie), Lisa Horttor(Larry) and Laurie McCant. He has wonderful nephews and nieces too numerous to name.
He was preceded in death by his father Billy Rettke and his younger brother Charlie Colyar.
A memorial gathering will be held later in a post-COVID time. Memorial donations may be made to the Providence Portland Medical Foundation, specifying Cancer Research, at providencefoundations.org
Joe cast a wide net in this world and we will miss him all our days
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