Joseph T. "Joe" Cheek

Joseph T. “Joe” Cheek, 87, of Sandusky and formerly of Castalia, passed away Sunday, August 18, 2024, at his home, surrounded by the love of his family.

He was born on June 4, 1937, in South Webster, Ohio. Due to the Great Depression, the family moved from Southern Ohio to Bellevue, Ohio, where his father found work on a farm. Joe was a 1956 graduate of Margaretta High School and served in the Ohio National Guard. He married the love of his life, Carolyn Bowsher, on May 3, 1958. Joe was a hard worker and in his early years, he worked at the Castalia Blue Hole, Castalia Elevator, and Farrell-Cheek Foundry. He retired in 1995 from the Ford Motor Company after thirty years of dedicated service. In his retirement years he worked at Truck Sales and Service and North Ohio Trucking Company. Joe enjoyed mowing grass, working in his yard, and spending time in his shop.

Joe was a faithful member of the Sandusky Community Church of the Nazarene and spent many years as a servant to the church, his family, and his community. 

While working full time, Joe spent many years behind the scenes for the Margaretta High School Athletic Program. He noticed there was a need on the sidelines of the football games and asked the coach if he could use a “gray-haired” water boy? This was a job that Joe continued to do for thirty-eight years. Over the years Joe became well known by many players and coaches for not only supplying hydration, but for the pride he took in caring for the uniforms of both the Polar Bears football and basketball teams. He gathered dirty uniforms at the end of every game, transported them to the school to wash, dry, and repair for the next game. He arrived before the team of every game to lay out the clean uniforms in the locker room for all the players. Joe also constructed a box for tools and other supplies needed for any emergency and made sure the players had their Gatorade before all games. Joe’s service to the Polar Bears awarded him an induction to the Margaretta High School Hall of Fame in 2002.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-six years, Carolyn (Bowsher) Cheek; his son, Mikel (Janis) Cheek of Mount Vernon, Ohio; his daughter, Catherine (Michael) Crum of Marion, Ohio; son-in-law, Tad Hibbard of Shinrock; seven grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; one brother, Ronald (Dorothy) Cheek and one sister, Ruth Cheek, both of Sandusky; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Dianne Hibbard; parents, Essie and Dora (Wiseman) Cheek; six brothers, George (Alma), Carl (Ruth), Howard (Irene), Earl (Joyce), William, and Charles; four sisters, Anna (Owen) Pooch, Lucille (Edward) Krutil, Virginia (Raymond) Odenweller, and Mary Catherine (William) Foster.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 22, 2024, in the Sandusky Community Church of the Nazarene, 1617 Milan Road, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 and from 9:00 am – 10:00 am on Friday, August 23, 2024, at the church. The funeral service for Joe will begin at 10:00 am on Friday, August 23, 2024, at the church. Rev. Mikel L. Cheek will officiate. The burial will be in Meadow Green Memorial Park, Huron.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sandusky Community Church of Nazarene, Margaretta High School Athletic Boosters, P.O. Box 281, Castalia, Ohio 44824, or Stein Hospice, 1200 Sycamore Line, Sandusky, Ohio 44870.

Pfeil Funeral Home, Sandusky Chapel, 617 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky has been entrusted with arrangements. 

Condolences may be shared with the family at pfeilfuneralhome.com. 

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