Joe E. Birkle Jr. age 77, of Winfield, KS died October 25, 2008 at 6:12 a.m. peacefully in his home with family and Hospice Care of Kansas at his side. Services will be held Friday October 31, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Miles Funeral Services in Winfield, KS. It will be a closed casket funeral and visitation. Interment will be at Round Mound Cemetery following services. Memorials have been established with Windmill Park in Shattuck, OK or Wauneta Methodist Church. Memorials may be left or sent to Miles Funeral Services.
Joe was born July 10, 1931, in Newman Memorial Hospital, Shattuck, Oklahoma to Joe E. Birkle, Sr. and Lillian (Schultz) Birkle. As a child Joe lived with his family on a farm Northwest of Shattuck. He attended grade school to the 7th grade at Highland School. He graduated from Shattuck High School in 1949. While in high school, he played and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. Joe started work at Boeing in Wichita, KS on January 18, 1951. He enlisted in the Air Force, served four years active duty as a Special Weapons Mechanic. He returned to Boeing upon his honorable discharge. In May 1980, Joe was elected the in-plant representative for the Machinist Union. He then won three more 4 year terms as the union representative. In 1993, Joe retired from the union after 13 ½ years of service with a combined total of 42 years with Boeing.
Joe loved to watch things grow. He always had a large garden as well as many fruit and nut trees developing in his yard. He raised and showed pure bred bantam chickens. When he took his bantams to a show, he always brought home trophies and/or ribbons. He loved to cook tacos for visitors as long as he was able.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Byron Dean Birkle; a great granddaughter, Elizabeth Faith Pinkston.
He is survived by his loving wife, Sally Birkle, of 37 years; his daughter, Vicki Birkle, Winfield; his sons, Randy and wife Donna Birkle, Florida and Bruce and wife Denise Dugan, South Carolina; his sisters, Donna and husband Rhodney Ruf and Betty and husband Bob Black, both of Wichita Falls, TX; sister-in-law, Martha Birkle, Winfield; grandchildren, Michael Pinkston, Vanessa Pinkston, Haley Birkle and Rylee Birkle; as well as three great grandchildren with one on the way; and host of family and friends.

Online condolences may be made at www.milesfuneralservice.com