Joseph Dale Poteet, 26

Our beloved son, brother, uncle, friend and soldier, Joseph Dale Poteet, 26, of Oak Harbor, Wash., joined our Lord Jesus Christ on Monday, May 9, 2005.

Viewing will be from 10 a.m. to noon today at Shaw and Sons Funeral Directors, with tribute service at 1 p.m. at Shaw and Sons. Concluding burial with military honors will follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.

He was born April 28, 1979, in Sunnyside, Wash.

Joseph moved to Yakima, Wash., at the age of 6 and graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1997. He spent a portion of most summers in Idaho with his aunt and uncle. Shortly after graduating, Joe moved up to Sandpoint, Idaho, and worked for a construction/logging company.

On Dec. 13, 2001, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He left for basic training on Feb. 20, 2002, in Great Lakes, Ill. Upon graduation on April 26, 2002, he went straight to Pensacola for aviation mechanical training, where he graduated in the top of his class on July 2, 2002. He reported for duty at NAV Whidbey Island, VAQ-134 in Oak Harbor on July 15, 2002. Joe's overseas deployments took him to Incilik Air Base, Turkey, January-April 2003 for Northern Watch 2, Operation Iraqi Freedom-1. He next went to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, from April 1-August 2004. Naval advancements AMAR Feb. 20, 2002, AMAA July 16, 2002, AM-3 Feb. 5, 2003, AM2, March 14, 2004.

The awards and medals he received consist of the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Battle "E" Ribbon; Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal — Turkey; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal — AFG; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal — AFG; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2); Sharp Shooter Pistol Ribbon (9mm). Marksmanship Rifle Ribbon (M14/16); Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor — Turkey; Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (wings); Letter of Commendation Co. VAQ-134, Turkey.

Joe's naval service totally turned his life around. When he left for basic training, he was sort of lost as to where his life was going and was still a kid. When he returned from Pensacola, we discovered he had changed into a very proud, enthusiastic young man. Every time he was able to come home he showed even more pride, excitement and such a zest for life.

Joe was extremely bright and imaginative. He loved nothing better than to take things apart and either put them back together or make new gadgets, usually the later. When he was very young, we observed a small light peaking up the stairway and up he comes saying, "Look at my new invention, it's an extension flashlight." He had taken batteries, wire, a bulb and probably two rolls of black tape and made this. It was two years later that they came out in the stores.

He always said the best Christmas present he ever had was at 9 years old. Dave had given him a box of black tape, batteries, wire, wire nuts, bulbs and miscellaneous electrical items. His stepbrother Jered once brought him the electrical pump switch panel that was being discarded from the farm. Joe took the whole thing apart and made numerous little gadgets from it. It was always something that worked in some way.

Joe was also a fantastic storyteller. He kept us entertained with his many stories and anecdotes of his travels and adventures. He was an avid explorer, never without maps on hand, and forever taking off and exploring new places. He loved the outdoors, the mountains and lakes. His most recent area was the northern Cascades, having just recently purchased new maps of the area.

Joe has been a ray of sunshine in all our lives. He will be forever young, loved and truly missed by all of us.

Joe is survived by his parents Mary and Dave Carlson of Yakima, Wash., his father, Jerry Poteet of Sandpoint; his brothers, Robert and Sheila Poteet, with sons Justin and Jason; and Tracy and Amy, with daughters Macy, Grace and Hailey Jo (May 10, 2004), all of Yakima; his stepbrothers, Nicholas Carlson and Jared Carlson; his grandmother, Mary Ketchersid of Wallula, Wash.; his aunts and uncles, Kathy and Bill Moore of Tonasket, Florence and Chuck of Pasco, Sandra and Al Hutchins of Louisville, Ky., Donna and Bob Brown of Hermiston, Ore., Lois and David Lundgren of Walla Walla, Wash., Quentin and Sally Ketchersid of Hermiston, Ore., Cora and Tim Kraus of Roy, Wash., Linda Ketchersid of Wallula, Wash., Crystal Ketchersid of Kennewick, Wash., Sue Poteet, Bill Poteet and Mike Poteet, all of Grandview, George and Betty Poteet of Prosser/Coeur d'Alene, Mary Ann Trammel of Tacoma, Wash., Rita Cotton of Yakima, Gary and Judy Poteet of Oklahoma, Jeannie and Bob Galavez of Tacoma. Special friends, Nick Bliss and Shawn Dorr of Yakima; cousin George Poteet of Coeur d'Alene; aunt Barb of Sandpoint; and numerous cousins.

Shaw and Sons Funeral Directors of Yakima, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.