Daniel Joseph “Joe” Jenkins

Joe Jenkins died peacefully in Auburn after a short battle with a rare brain disease on Monday, May 25, 2009. He was 76. Joe was born in Denver, CO on September 1, 1932 to Nora Joyce and Joshua Jenkins and moved to Washington State while in grade school. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, and produced a family of four children with wife Anne before moving to the Seattle area in the 1960’s. Joe worked in the advertising business and public speaking for 3 decades, starting his own agency “Jenkins and Associates” with his 2nd wife, Linda. After Linda passed away he met his 3rd wife Nancy through a widowers group. They moved to Covington, where he became involved with the Covington Chamber of Commerce. His wife Nancy passed away in 2000, and Joe moved to Auburn with his faithful dog Rudy. He became very active with the Auburn Optimist Club. Joe played Santa for many years in the downtown Auburn Santa house, and helped coordinate the “Auburn Good Old Days” event. Joe enjoyed participating in live theatre and took part in numerous plays in Spokane as a young man, and later in Kent. Joe was an accomplished puppeteer and gave shows starring “Salty and Professor Owl.” Joe was well liked by all he met, and had a gift for getting to know everyone at any party or social event. He had a terrific sense of humor, and was known to don a “red nose” at the most unusual times. He is survived by his best friend and companion, Gloria King, sons Henry Jenkins, Andrew Jenkins (Gretchen), Martin Jenkins (Beatrice), stepson Sean Kelly (Sheen), daughter Joanne Beaver (Dale) and 2 brothers, Dennis Jenkins ( Mary Ann), and Gary Jenkins (Gerri.) Joe had 12 grandchildren.Funeral Mass was held June 3, 2009 at Holy Spirit Parish in Kent, followed by a reception to celebrate his life.Memorials are suggested to Creutzfeld Jakob Disease Foundation, Inc. (http://www.cjdfoundation.org/) or the American Cancer Society.

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