Joseph L. Taft

Joseph Leonard Taft, Jr. 92, of Elwood, formerly of Lexington and Johnson Lake, passed away December 24, 2020 at Lexington Regional Health Center.

Joe was born October 23, 1928 in Lincoln, NE to Joseph Sr. and Marguerite (Gilson) Taft. Joe, Jr. attended school in Lincoln. On December 10, 1948, he was united in marriage to Phyllis Joyce Geistlinger at her parents’ home in Lincoln. This union was blessed with four children: Michael, Timothy, Dale and Rebecca.

On March 1, 1953, the family moved to Lexington. Joe worked for Neil Cattle Co. and Biehl Cattle Co. Later he worked for Loudon’s of Lexington. In 1975 Joe and Mike opened a men’s clothing store called Mr. T’s Clothing. After closing the business, he worked for Ayers Clothing, 6^th Street Food Store and Reach Electronics. After he “retired”, he started mowing lawns…a lot of lawns.

He was a member of the Lexington Lions Club, Jaycees, Sertoma and the Johnson Lake EMS. Joe was very outgoing. He never knew a stranger. He could talk to anyone and had many friends. Joe enjoyed reading and working on his miniature railroad.

Joe is survived by two sons, Tim of Lincoln and Dale and wife Cheryl of Elwood. Six grandchildren: Kimberly and husband Clinton Jones, Chris, Wade and wife Shirley, Casey and wife Rene, Derek and wife Amy, and Drew and wife Melissa. Nine great-grandchildren: Lucca, Reuben, Braylon, Audrey, Zoey, Billy, Brianna, Emily and Lily and his sister, Deloris Mertens.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis, parents, his in-laws: Ed Geistlinger, Florence Geistlinger Davis and John Davis; infant Daughter, Rebecca Joy, son Michael, Daughter-in-Law: Lou Ann Taft, Brothers: Marvin (Lois) and Ronald (Elaine), two brothers-in-law: Jim (Norma) Geistlinger and Bud (Cathy) Geistlinger. Sister-in-law: Evelyn (Everett) Hillblink and Niece: Carol Anderson.

A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, January 4, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home with Pastor Bill Ohlmann, officiating. The service will be livestreamed on the Reynolds Love Facebook page.

Inurnment will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Lexington.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Reynolds-Love Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.