Obituary: Lang, Joseph D.
Joe was a poet, a dreamer, and the very definition of the hopeless romantic.
Joe was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and grew up in Alaska, Oregon, Wyoming, and Washington State.
He loved Alaska and said it was the only place where he felt comfortable.
In his younger years, Joe loved to make model airplanes.
He graduated from Davis High School in Yakima in 1975.
Joe loved computers and worked as an IT tech until his death.
He truly enjoyed his work.
Sussing out and fixing problems for people brought Joe fulfillment, and he often took jobs in his off time, accepting all manner of payment in return, including none at all.
He worked some years for YVCC, for the Granger school district, and most recently for the Spokane school district.
He had many friends throughout the Yakima Valley.
Joe enjoyed silliness, being goofy with his family and friends, and relished a good political discussion as much as a bloodthirsty pinochle game.
He was kind to just about everyone, and was with Maxine, the love of his life, at the end.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jess and Mae Edge, his father, Jack Lang, and his brother, John Lang.
He is survived by his wife, Maxine Gish of Spokane, his mother, Wanda Lang of Yakima, his two sons Nicholas Lang of Yakima and Arthur Lang of Ellensburg, Maxine’s children (whom he loved as though they were his own) Darren (Nicole) Gish of Spokane, and Emily (Russell) Benefield of Salt Lake City, a brother James (RenÄ‚Ĺ ) Lang of San Diego, his sisters Leslie Lang of La Conner, Bernadette Lindberg of Seattle, Mary (Tim) Walker of Maui, Amy Stuckey of Yakima, Judy (Dave) Ratcliff of Ellensburg, and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
For information regarding services for Joe, please contact Amy Stuckey at amyskagit@hotmail.com.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Joe’s name to the cancer research charity of your choice.