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Joe Hish HARTINGTON — Joseph Mark “Trojan Joe” Hish, 95, Hartington, died March 15, 2024, at his residence.
Mass of Christian Burial will be March 20, at 10:30 a.m., at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Hartington, with Rev. Owen Korte officiating.
Burial will be in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Hartington, with military services provided by the Hartington VFW Post 5283 and the Legion Riders.
Visitation will be Tuesday, at the church, from 5 -8 p.m., with a Vigil Service at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services Wednesday at the church.
Pallbearers will be Chad Cattau, Bob Geary, Matt Steffen, Terry Kathol, Craig Wortmann, Rick Kuehn and Paul Wintz.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington.
Joe was born Nov. 27, 1928, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Joseph Mark II and Rose Ann (Miller) Hish. He grew up in Hartington and attended Holy Trinity Grade School and graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1946. Joe enlisted in the Army Air Corps June 10, 1946, and transferred to the United States Air Force in 1947, when it officially became separated from the Army.
Joe served in a number of U.S. embassies and quite a large number of foreign countries as part of the USAF Intelligence Service. During this time, Joe met a number of dignitaries including having dinner with Generalissimo Ching Kai Shek who was the premiere of the newly formed Peoples Republic of Free China on the island of Taiwan. Joe was an accredited Diplomat to the Court of St. James in London and witnessed the coronation of the young Queen Elizabeth June 2, 1953. Much of Joe’s time was in clandestine operations for the USAF, and for a short period of time he worked with Britain’s famed MI-5 and MI-6 in intelligence exchanges between their personnel and the USAF in Washington. Joe retired from the Air Force after 21 years of active service in May 1967.
Joe was married to LaVerna A. Horschman, June 2, 1948. During his years in the Air Force, they had four sons and a daughter. His wife died in a single car accident in 1974. After his retirement from the Air Force, he did corporate work, earning the advancement from a sales manager to a corporate vice president in one year. In 1970, he took a position with the Oxford Group and again earned the position of corporate vice president in one year. Joe lived in Annandale, Va., during these years, retiring in 1988. He moved to Hartington in 1990 to care for his 90-year-old mother. Joe married Agi Seaton August 1, 1981, and eventually this marriage was annulled.
Joe is a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and an avid supporter of all Cedar Catholic activities. His love and enthusiasm for his alma mater has been demonstrated at Cedar Catholic sporting events since 1991, when he became known as Trojan Joe. He was seen at home and away games, toting his huge red and white Cedar megaphone while wearing his Trojan Joe attire. Even the referees and the opposing teams admired his antics.
Joe is survived by four children, Gregory and Anna Hish, Plainfield, Ill.; Michael Hish, Nashville, Ill.; Wendy and Glen Bening, Ballwin, Mo.; Joseph M. IV and Nancy Hish, Nashville, Ill.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Joe was preceded in death by his father, at age 70, and his mother, at the age of 101; wife, LaVerna Hish; a son, Steven J. Hish; three brothers, Donald J; Delbert M. and Gerald F. Hish.
