He was no ordinary Joe.
To many, he was a good friend, a kind and generous man who was quick with a handshake, a grin, even a quip.
Genuine Joe Jenkins amused and informed others – all in the true spirit of community service.
He did so with a certain shtick.
“He always carried a red (clown) nose around,” said Roger Thordarson, good friend and fellow Auburn Optimist Club member. “He would put it on and do whatever it was that got your attention.
“He had a good sense of humor. He liked to entertain, and he was a very good organizer,” Thordarson said. “He was a very good man for the community.”
Jenkins, an active volunteer and a friend to many, died suddenly on Memorial Day at a West Hill adult family home. Services were held Wednesday in Kent.
Jenkins, 76, lost a short battle with Creutzfeldt–Jakob – a rare, incurable brain disease. The degenerative neurological disorder gradually robbed him of his balance and memory.
It was such a cruel and abrupt end to the wonderful life of a gifted, fun-loving man who leaves behind considerable family and many friends.
“I visited him three weeks ago … he did not recognize me,” said Thordarson, an Optimist Club charter member who worked alongside his friend for 15 years.
Said Jim Fletcher, friend and Optimist Club member: “It was really shocking. It was so quick. … He went from a vivid, energetic person to a very docile person. His last days he couldn’t even speak.”
But Jenkins could talk and enliven just about any crowd. He led by example. He was about service, not politics, and his hard work, not to mention his hijinks, were his true contribution.
“He never stopped selling,” said Joanne Beaver, Jenkins’ daughter. “He would go to a gathering and greet everybody in the room. He would try to find out a little bit about each person.
“He was very socialble. He was awesome.”
The former advertising executive brought his leadership and marketing skills to Auburn after establishing the Covington Chamber of Commerce.
The publicist naturally was a good fit in Auburn. Thordarson and others took him in at the Optimist Club, where he filled many roles, president and zone lieutenant governor then, and most recently, secretary/administrative
assistant.
Jenkins helped operate the downtown Santa House, an Auburn tradition, and even donned the red suit himself. He also participated in many Optimist-supported projects, from concessions work at Auburn’s Game Farm Park to representing the club at the Good Ol’ Days Festival.
“Joe was an awesome man. He was my mentor,” said Kayla Sargent, club vice president. “He was full of life. … He would make people laugh.”
Jenkins juggled, did magic and often performed as a ventriloquist with his puppet sidekick, a parrot named Salty. He enjoyed good theater.
“He was always a delight to be around,” said Nancy Wyatt, president of the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce, who has known Jenkins for 15 years. “He always would bring a smile to your face.
“He definitely was all about community,” Wyatt added. “He will be missed tremendously.”
Jenkins leaves behind his longtime companion, Gloria King, as well as his daughter, four sons and 12 grandchildren.
He also leaves his mark – the importance of giving something back to the community he enjoyed being a part of.
“Joe was a good, fun person to know,” Fletcher said. “He was very amusing and very sincere. He always seemed to put the other person first.”
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The Jenkins family has asked friends to make any donation to the CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) Foundation, P.O. Box 5312, Akron, Ohio, 44334, or to the American Cancer Society. To learn more, visit www.cjdfoundation.org or www.cancer.org.
