General Notes:

WETMORE -- Longtime Munising and Wetmore businessman and owner of Joe's Auto Body, Joseph Angelo Nicholas Micallef, age 65, of E9559 Prospect Street, Wetmore, died on Saturday, December 21, 2002 at 8:30 p.m. at his home following a one year illness. Joe was born in Zabbar, Malta on May 17, 1937 to the late Joseph and Dolores (Vidolich) Micallef. He was raised in Malta, attend the school system, and completed a six year electrician apprenticeship there. He was active in waterpolo, soccer, and dancing. Joe was a dancing instructor and choreographer and participated in Carnival (similar to Mardis Gras.) He also worked for Wimpey (a British company) in Malta before emigrating to Windsor, Ontario in 1960. In March 1964, Joe moved to Detroit. He worked in both cities as an auto body repairman. On November 29, 1969, Joe married Beverly E. Mitchell. They moved to Munising on November 1, 1976 and Joe worked for Lakeshore Ford and then Flynn Chevrolet. He sold Farm Bureau insurance for one year in 1981, he established Joe's Auto Body in Munising. In 1994, Joe moved his body shop to Wetmore.

Joe was active member of the Munising and Wetmore communities. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church were he served on the Parish Council and sang in the choir. He was a Fourth Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus and a former member and past president of the Munising Lions Club. He sang in the Vanguards, was a member of the Munising Township Fire Department, and a member of the Munising School Board and Credit Union Board. When his boys were younger, he refereeded his sons soccer games and tried to teach them his fancy footsteps. Joe became an American citizen in 1986. He was very proud of his Malteze heritage and proud to be an American. He and Bev enjoyed gardening and together they created a Mediterranean garden. Joe loved cars, his church,photography, dancing, music, WWII history, playing the harmonica, and people.

Joe is survived by his wife of over thirty three years, Beverly Micallief of Wetmore; two son - Shawn (Jennifer) Micallef of Green Bay, WI and Mark (Nancy) of Munising; "mother" - Brynhild "Bec" Mitchell of Munising; brothers - Tony (Gita) Micallef of Livonia, Caledon (Jane) Micallef of Dearborn Heights, Salvino (Susan) Micallef of Livonia; sisters - Mary Hambleton and Michelina (Carmenu) Delia of Melbourne, Australlia, Helen (Micheal) French of Windsor, Ontario and Vincenza Micallef of Livonia; numerous nieces and nephews; godchildren - Stephanie Waymouth, Billy Tidd, and Dorothy Fenech Watson. Besides his parent, Joseph and Delores, Joe was preceded in death by an infant son, Angelo Nicholas Micallef on November 7, 1978, brothers Manuel, Martin and Carmel, and two sisters, Josephine and Carmen.

Friends may call at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Monday evening from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. Father Denis L. Borea will conduct a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, December 24, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Munising. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising and Joe will be escorted by his nephew, friends and honorary escorts will be member of the Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree. Memorials in memory of Joe may be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.