Joseph Marion Willemin, Jr. was born in Morrilton, Arkansas on November 27, 1938, a near-record cold day, 17 F. Unlike his older sisters Martha and Marilyn, Joe was born in a hospital, not at home. At last, his parents, Joe and Frances had their little boy who would one day follow in his father's footsteps and become an Attorney. Joe, Dr..'s father had worked at a railroad depot as a teenager and learned to use the Telegraph from a man named O.D. Dellis. Then he traveled across the country fillin in for telegraphers out sick or on vacations. He met Frances Rose Collins whose family owned a mercantile establishment in a Kansas town on the railroad line. Frances was a young schoolmarm. After a brief courtship, they eloped, soon moving to Arkansas to live with Joe Sr.'s parents, Lucy Spencer Glover and her husband Henry Glover who had been a muleskinner for logging companies. Young Joe, Jr. spent many happy summers with Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Henry on their farm.

Joe's father soon aspired to become an attorney. In those days, you could get a license to practice law by studying under a licensed attorney. While he was doing this, Frances earned a bit of money selling chicken eggs and other small jobs. After a decade or so practicing law, Joe, Sr. accepted a position with the Order of Railroad Telegraphers and the family moved to the headquarters in St. Louis. They bought a home on Winzenburg Drive in Richmond Heights, and Joe, Jr., who was 14 at the time, began attending Middle School in the Clayton School District, then Clayton High School. He had a bit of a southern tone to his voice, and it was a running joke among his classmates that "You can take the boy out of Arkansas, but you can't take the Arkansas out of the boy". Young Joe found a friend with similar interests, John Gornal Jones, who would also become an attorney.  Their friendship was destined to become lifelong.

Joe attended Washington University, got his degree and the extended his education through law school and Wash U. Just before his third year of law school, Joe was introduced to Carol Ann Lyons by her friend Cathy Hoeffner who was dating Gornal Jones at the time. After a summer-long courtship, they were married on October 27, 1962 at a Chapel in Webster Groves. Cathy was maid of Honor and Joe's Best Man was attorney Walter C. Plefka, who in recent years enjoyed going to lunch with Joe. Joe and Carol's two children, Laura Ann Willemin Stevens and Christopher Joseph Willemin, attended Kirkwood Grade School and High School while the family lived in Kirkwood, first in Huntleigh Hills Subdivision, then in a larger home in Waterford. Laura and her husband, William H. Stevens had twin daughters, Shelby and Taylor. Their son Christopher and wife Melanie, whom he married in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army, had a son, Austin Frank Willemin, now living in Florida with his wife, Kendra. Joe loved his 3 grandchildren dearly.  Carrying photos of then in his wallet always. Austin and Kendra brought their baby daughter, Adalynee, to see her great grandparents, Joe and Carol, at 3 months of age, and then again near her first birthday. Great Grandpa Joe was so proud and delighted with her. Both of Jo's sisters predeceased him, and he had lost touch with most of the younger generations, by Marilyn's son, Gary Olson and his wife Liz, still kept in touch.

As a newly licensed attorney, Joe, Jr. began his practice doing collection work for a St. Louis City attorney, then later began building his own individual practice, sharing office space with attorney Bill Hormberg, and sharing cases with former classmate, Jack Schlueter. During the early time, Carol served as his secretary for several years while at home with the kids. It was slow going at first, but Joe was able to take a reasonably early retirement. During his working years, travel was never longer than a week or so a year so they bought a 40-acre place on Indian Creek and the family and friends enjoyed camping and fishing there most weekends from spring through fall. After the kids were grown and gone, they sold the land and began traveling. They took two long driving trips along the Eastern Seaboard. Then they began cruises, many to the Caribbean, and then longer ones to Alaska, the Mediterranean, Hawaii and Western Europe. It was the best of times.

Joe loved history and archaeology, cultivating his interest in them throughout his life. He also loved to play games, especially cards. During college and law school, he played Oh Hell and Blackjack after class. Once when his parents took a long trip to the west coast, he took his backpack and had them drop him off at a mountain trail head, then went alone on his own for a couple days and nights, finally arriving at his destination, Lake Tahoe. It was there that his lifelong interest in poker was born. When casinos much later opened in Missouri, he would pursue his passion for poker and later in life he would play online, not for money, but for glory. He read an amazing number of books, and enjoyed collecting stamps and coins, sharing these pursuits with son, Chris. He also shared Carol's love for nature and wildlife.

Ever the adventurer, when Joe was about 7 years old, he jumped off the garage roof and was knocked out when he hit the ground. He never told his parents. As an adult, Joe nearly drowned in his chest waders when the tide came in while he was salmon fishing in Alaska. Other adventures included turning his ATV over on himself and doing the same with the riding mower at the house on Mason Road. Joe and Gornal Jones swam across the Missouri River as youths, then climbed to the top of Michigan sand dunes as octogenarians. Joe zip lined in Costa Rica and later climbed nearly 75 steps to a castle in Spain at age 80. He truly lived his life with zest. Joe's favorite place to stay when traveling was at a hotel in the middle of Times Square. He and Carol visited the Big Apple twice, once when the Twin Towers were still standing and later when they visited the memorial.

Throughout his life, Joe was steadfast in the face of adversity and maintained his curiosity and joie de vivre throughout. His was a life well lived with love, honesty, and integrity, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Services:  A Celebration of Life will be held at the FAMILY CENTER at SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.  Friends may sign the family's on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.