Joseph M. Lemke of Simsbury, beloved husband of Rosemary (Looby) Lemke, died peacefully Sunday, February 28, 2021 at Arden Courts of Avon. Born May 19, 1930 in Meriden, he was the son of the late Joseph August and Mary (Finnance) Lemke. Joe proudly served in the U.S. Army and was a decorated veteran of the Korean War. He graduated from the University of Hartford in 1957, with his bachelor's degree in business administration. Throughout his career, Joe worked in various administrative capacities at American Cyanamid, Hamilton Standard and at the Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection.

Joe’s faith was very important to him, having been an active parishioner at St. Mary’s Church in Meriden and then at St. Mary’s Church in Simsbury where he served as a lector, catechist and eucharistic minister. In his retirement on the Cape, he also participated in bible study and volunteered at St. Joan of Arc in Orleans. An avid reader and swimmer his entire life, he swam a mile a day at Nauset Beach (April to October) until the age of 87.

In addition to his loving wife of 52 years, Joe leaves his daughter, Kathryn Rogers and her husband James of Simsbury, CT, his sons, J. Michael Lemke, Jr. of North Palm Beach, FL, and John Lemke and his wife Anika of Borken, Germany, and his grandchildren: Elizabeth, Jack and Amelia Rogers and Byrdie and Henning Lemke. He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Suzanne Goodrich.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 16th at St. Mary’s Church, 942 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury. The burial will be private. The Vincent Funeral Home of Simsbury is handling the arrangements. Please visit Joe’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online tributes.