Joseph Marino, Jr., 50, of Lumberton, died Wednesday, August 19, 2009, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth in Beaumont.

A native of Beaumont, he was born May 22, 1959, to Alma and Joseph Marino, Sr., and has been a lifelong resident of the Beaumont area. Joe was a process operator with Lucite in Beaumont. He loved fishing, motorcycles, and restoring classic cars.  Joe was very devoted to his family and friends.

Survivors include his loving wife, Sandra Kay Marino of Lumberton; his beautiful daughters, Mollie Ann Marino, and Sarah Kay Nichols both of Lumberton; parents, Joseph Marino, Sr. of Lumberton and Alma Marino of Clute; sisters, Pam Cheval of Oyster Creek, and Marsha Mitchell of Clute; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Joe came into this world full of energy, with a love of life, a student of having fun, and with a big heart that he focused on serving others, especially his family and close friends. 

Joe harnessed his great energy by learning to be a master craftsman of many trades.  He learned the arts of carpentry, welding, pipe fitting, and learned to be a fine mechanic. With skills under his belt, Joe put his heart and hands to work by creating many things throughout his life, for himself and for others.

Joe celebrated his love of life by caring deeply for all of his family and friends. He truly was one of a kind.  He was a very patient man, a good man, one that will be missed by all. Joe was there for anyone in need and was dedicated to creating a beautiful life for his adoring wife Sandra and lovely daughters Mollie and Sarah.  He was passionate about building a foundation at home for love, fun, happiness and security. 

Fun was a major part of Joe’s life and he found great fun and enjoyment in motorcycles. As a young boy, Joe started his motorcycle enthusiasm with a mini bike that he wore the tires out on pretty quickly.  He progressed to larger bikes over the years and began developing a keen interest in Harley Davidson’s.  Joe was very focused on his goal to get a Harley, so in order to get around the expense , he decided to purchase parts from wrecked bikes and meticulously collected parts for a couple of years until he had all he needed to build his own Harley.  He continued to adore the Harley bike and celebrated his love for Harley Davidson’s by purchasing a 100th Anniversary 2003 Electra Glide Classic. Joe loved his Harley so much that he purchased a camper that was designed to carry the Harley in the cargo section, he truly saw his Harley as part of the family.

Another avenue for generating fun was in his love and work with classic cars.  Joe was not only impressed by the art form found in these cars, but in the power that these cars possessed.  His favorite car was his 1969 Camaro which he spent a lot of time in restoration of the body and he fitted the car with a very powerful 502 Big Block Chevrolet engine.

In addition to his motorcycles, Joe loved to be outside as much as possible.  He spent many hours creating a beautifully landscaped yard, constructing a tree house for Mollie, working in his shop, and taming a jungle on his newly purchased recreational property in Chester, Texas. Joe enjoyed spending time at the beach and camping with his family; he also loved catching fish, and cooking on the custom grill/smoker that he constructed from scratch.  His favorite food to smoke on the grill was boudain, links and ribs.  Talk about good, it was lip-smacking good. 

We thank you for sharing this time with us as we celebrate the joy that Joe’s life has brought to us. 

Joe’s funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 23, 2009, at Woodcrest United Methodist Church, 1684 Highway 96 South, Lumberton with burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.  A gathering of his family and friends will be from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 22, 2009, at Broussard’s.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Joseph Marino, Jr. Memorial Fund, T.D.E.C.U., Account #20971180, 1001 FM 2004, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566, to go towards the continuing care of his mother, Alma.