Memorials › Joseph Anthony “Joe” Musil
Joseph Anthony “Joe” Musil
9 Jun 1952 – 14 Dec 2022
| Birth | 9 Jun 1952 |
| Death | 14 Dec 2022 |
| Cemetery | Waller Cemetery Waller , Harris County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | Joel Farringer on 21 Dec 2022 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247607764 |
Bio
Joseph Anthony Musil, engineer, software designer, and graphic artist, was born on June 9, 1952, in Stamford, Texas, and left this life on December 14, 2022, at the age of 70 to be with his Lord. He was the second son of Joseph Stephen and Alice Frances Vondrak Musil. His early years were spent growing up on the Stamford Hatchery and Poultry Farm where his dad and grandpa hatched thousands and thousands of various breeds of chickens and other poultry fowl. Joe learned to care for chickens and was actively curious about science, nature, and the outdoor life. His family learned quickly that there was one love that would outshine them all – his love of drawing, building things, and creating artwork of all kinds. The family became active members of Christ Lutheran Church, and all the children were baptized. The family moved to Waller TX in 1963 and became members of St. John's Lutheran Church. It was there that Joe reaffirmed his baptism through confirmation. Joe attended Reynolds Elementary School in Stamford where his teachers soon learned that he was truly a gifted child who made excellent grades, but his special talent was in art. Joe was in the sixth grade when the J.S. Musil family moved to Waller, Texas. He finished his elementary and junior high school education and again proved to excel in his academic subjects. It wasn't until he attended Waller High School that his art was on display for the town of Waller to view every Friday night at the Bulldog football games. He became the official designer and painter of the victory signs that the team would burst through to begin each game. Even the opposing fans would gaze in wonder with a little bit of envy when Joe's signs would stand so beautifully tall and grand. He even designed the bulldog used on schoolbook covers. Joe was active in UIL, maintained his high academic standing, and graduated in May of 1970 with the honor of being the class Valedictorian. The next chapter of his life took him to Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. He was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Society and graduated as Salutatorian of the Class of 1972, earning his Associate in Arts Degree. The next fall he continued his studies at the University of Houston where he completed the civil engineering technology curriculum with an emphasis on drafting and technical design. He participated in special projects dealing with computer graphics and was inducted into the Mathematics Honor Society. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree, then began working at various companies designing, developing, maintaining, and analyzing technologically oriented systems and applications. In the Houston area he worked for M.W. Kellog Engineering and Brown & Root; in San Antonio, Alexander Engineering; and in Austin, Michael Leesley Consulting, Inc., Bausch & Lomb Interactive Graphics, GEOPAK Civil Engineering, and the Texas Department of Transportation, where he worked until his retirement. It was during this time that he created all of the programming examples that were included in Kim H. Young's book Mastering Microsoft Station MDL. While in Austin he began taking painting classes and was able to start working with pastels and oils. He loved getting together with other artists and working on projects. He did pastels of many family members and still life scenes, but then turned his attention to oil painting. He painted some for commission but most of his work was done for the pleasure that painting and creating gave him. He almost always had a paining on the easel in his studio at the farm and exhibited his work in many places in the Waller area and in his hometown of Stamford. He enjoyed giving art lessons to children as he did at the Melanee Smith Library one summer in Waller and attending art classes at the Hockley Community Center where he enjoyed the comradery of fellow artists and the community staff. He enjoyed his retirement at the family farm on Kulhanek Lane where he always had a beautiful garden. He enjoyed doing farm work, building fences, mowing pastures, caring for his chickens and ducks, and providing for his family of cats. In the evening one could often find him taking walks down Kulhanek Lane, chatting with a good neighbor, or just enjoying the lightning bugs and the musical tunes of the crickets and night birds. He was a self-made Czech man who loved solving his own problems by innovative solutions, even when several severe illnesses tried to slow him down. He was very proud of his Czech heritage and often went by the Czech version of his name "Josef." He wanted to keep family traditions alive and always made a special effort to attend all family reunions and gatherings, making sure that there was some Czech music playing in the background. He also loved classic Country Western music and classic cowboy ballads. He loved trying out various Czech recipes (and eating at different restaurants), making homemade wine, doing his own canning, and keeping the local festivals, friends, and family supplied with his handmade sauerkraut, jellies, and other pickled snacks. He was well known in the area for his sauerkraut-making demonstrations. As one of his lifelong friends stated, "He lived life on his own terms, even in the face of long-term daunting illnesses…I'll miss his wonderful sauerkraut and his hand-crafted Christmas cards. But more than that, I'll miss my old friend." He will truly be missed by his family, friends, and all who had the honor and pleasure of knowing him. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Alice Musil; his older brother, Larry Gene Musil; two brothers-in-law, Johnnie Wayne Braun and Michael Keith Whitten. He is survived by three sisters; Linda N. Braun, Betty R. Whitten, and Terry A. Junek and husband Mike; five nieces: Dariti Peterson, Laurie Gallway, Amanda Lewis, Rachel Sehorn, and Kristen Robison; a nephew, Kevin Solsbery; and many grand nieces and nephews. Visitation with the family will be held at Canon Funeral Home, 1420 Farr St., Waller TX 77484 on Tuesday, December 20 from 4-6 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1613 Key St., Waller TX 77484 on Wednesday, December 21, at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Cheryl Lamaak officiating. Cannon Funeral Home
Photos
Family
Parents
Siblings
Export GEDCOM
This person only · Entire connected family