Joe Skokowski was one of my closest and dearest friend. This website is to help me deal with his loss and to help others understand what a wonderful person he was. With the help of his family and friends I'll do my best to put this together.

 

Joe was born Sept. 21, 1947 in Washington, D.C. to Joseph and Nancy Skokowski. He grew up in Mt. Rainier and Bethesda, Maryland. He attended St. James Catholic school in Mt. Rainer and St. Jane De Chantal, North Bethesda Junior High and Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland. He had two brothers Steve and Jimmy along with three sisters Claire, Stephanie and Mary Lisa.

 

Upon graduation from Walter Johnson HS in 1965 he volunteered and entered the U.S. Army. He served in Viet Nam with the 5th Special Forces as a parachute rigger for nearly three years.

Not everyone who lost their life in Viet Nam died there.

Not everyone that came home from Viet Nam left there.

And I know this all too well as it was obvious in Joe.

My name is Ed Biggs but I was known as Eddie to Joe and his family. I meet Joe in elementary school at St. Jane De Chantal and we remain friends for over 45 years.

 

Now when we where growing up Joe was Mr. Goodie Two Shoes he wouldn't do anything and I mean anything wrong. Most of which I'm sure was because of how he was brought up by his parents. And once we got into North Bethesda Junior High I always thought it was my job to change that. Here was a guy that had girls throwing themselves at him but he always remained virtuous. He was the guy every parent would want taking out their daughter as they would have nothing to worry about.

 

He never thought of himself as attractive to women. He only thought he was average looking, which is how he thought of himself the rest of his life.

 

Joe never thought of himself as better than anyone else.

 

When we were growing up we had many adventures and along with Larry Wesson we became our own version of the Three Musketeers. But this website is in memory of Joe.

 

Joe loved his family, his friends and his country. He was willing to lay down his life if needed for those he loved and what he believed in. To say he was a special person would be an understatement. And so many people, even his sons, did not know what a truly unique and wonderful person he was.

 

I was lucky to have gone to Elementary, Jr. High and High Schools with him, working with him at different jobs, sharing an apartment together, sharing many adventures together, learning about life together along with sharing family and friends.

Joe had literally saved my life once. And I wish I could say I was always Joe's best friend but I do not believe that would be accurate. As Joe had a few best friends during his life. I was just the first and had known Joe the longest. Tommie Kerrigan was another good friend of Joe’s from high school on.  Joe was godfather to Tommie’s and his wife Vonnie’s son Sean. Overall Mike Scott, who is a person I respect and admire, would in my opinion Joe's best friend. And Larry Wesson who died in 1967 had one of the biggest impacts in Joe's life. And the person that was there for him when needed was his brother Steve.

 

Those he loved most in my opinion where his two sons, his mother, his brothers and sisters along with his friends both living and dead.

 

Joe had always wanted to be a hero. Rescue people, save damsels in distress, fight against tyranny and all the things a hero does. And during his life that's exactly what he did.

 

During High School he was a member of the Bethesda, Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and rescued people. Upon graduation of High School he enlisted into the Army and fought against tyranny in Viet Nam. After leaving the Army he spent his time saving damsels in distress.

 

Now Joe wasn't a saint nor did he ever want to be. He just wanted to do the right thing, always. Even if the right thing would cause him suffering either emotionally or physically. And that's why I had always admired and respected Joe. As I saw him do this often.

 

I along with many others that knew Joe well are having a difficult time dealing with his loss. The biggest loss is to the world and those that never got the chance to know one of the finest people to ever grace this planet.

 

Rest Easy My Friend (by me his friend)

There is no more pain everyday
All that now has gone away
There will be no more daily woes
About you’re not feeling your toes 

 

Rest easy my friend 

 

All those worries and that strife
That happens with everyday life
All those bills and letters to send
All those problems now have end 

 

Rest easy my friend 

 

All that agony, all those tears
Too many days, too many years
For those too are gone away
Never to bother you another day 

 

Rest easy my friend 

 

You were loved more then you knew
No one from your life ever flew
They all came, some from far away
To honor you that one last day 

 

Rest easy my friend

 

Joseph C. Skokowski passed away at 10:07 PM Saturday, March 15th, 2008 of Renal Cancer at the Aurora South Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, April 10, 2008 with full military honors at Section 54, Site 960.

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Click Here to hear the music I modified for Joe. This is a large file. The song is 3 minutes and 34 seconds in length. It is my version of OMD Maid of Orleans which I called the funeral march.

 

Pictures of Joe through the years