Joseph Mengelkamp, a life long area resident, died Tuesday morning, June 22, 2010 at Gritman Medical Center. He was 83.

Joe was born December 21, 1926 in Alberta, Canada to Conrad and Helen Behler Mengelkamp. The family moved to the Moscow area in 1931, and he grew up and attended school here. He helped with the family farm, then worked for several years for Moscow Implement. Joe later returned to farming with his brother Jim, and in 1991, moved to Uniontown where he took over the farming operation from his uncle on land that had been homesteaded by Joe's grandparents.

Joe was a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a life member of the Moscow Moose Lodge, and enjoyed traveling with the Roadrunners RV Club.

Joe and Helen McDaniel Douglas were married in 1968 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow. She survives along with his step-children, Kathy Parkins of Moscow, Patricia Yount of Viola and David Douglas of Moscow. Joe also leaves his siblings, brother, James Mengelkamp of Moscow and sisters, Viola Love of Spokane, Betty Westergreen of Moscow and Helen Sacht of Boise along with 8 step-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Iva Jean Stokes and a granddaughter, Jessica Douglas.

The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Monday, June 28, 2010 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church by Rev. Joseph Schmidt followed by a reception at St. Mary's Family Center following. A private burial will be later at St. Boniface Cemetery in Uniontown.

Memorials are suggested to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Short’s Funeral Chapel, and online condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.net