Joseph Harkenrider, a man of faith, love, humility, and truth, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, April 26, 2026. He was born the youngest of 7 children on March 20, 1953, the day after the Feast of Saint Joseph for whom he is named, to the late Donald and Mary (Salmon) Harkenrider. His life-long commitment to his Catholic faith started early, was reinforced through his time at Saint Jude and Bishop Dwenger Catholic schools and was the foundation on which he built his family and lived his life. It was his unwavering faith that gave him the strength to face his last challenge in life, prior to Jesus calling him home.

As a child, Joe enjoyed athletics, spending time in basketball, baseball, and countless hours skating and playing hockey on the frozen creek just outside his childhood home. He spoke often of the quality time he spent with his cousins in his youth, reminiscing fondly of large family gatherings, which served to shape his own personal desire and story of having a large family with many children. His decades-long examples of time with the railroad and every job he took served to teach his children the importance of hard work and sacrifice for those you love. His final career stop with the Fort Wayne Parks Dept allowed him to combine his hard work with his love of the outdoors and the beauty that God surrounded him with throughout his life.

Blessed with a sturdy frame, a handshake that drew you together, and a hug that was always true and deep, those who knew him best felt his strength and love in every connection. Filled with curiosity and a commitment to continual learning, he was an avid reader, a musician of multiple instruments, and a seeker of knowledge and understanding of countless subjects, none more important to him than Catholicism and his relationship with Christ.

In a family of eight, silence never stood a chance, losing out to a home filled with the sounds of Joe playing piano, singing to his kids, introducing them to rock and roll, and teaching them to pray. When not at home, the sounds of love continued in all he did with his family, whether on bike rides, playing sports at the park, swimming at the club, or working on the car together. He possessed a tremendous sense of humor and loved jokingly sparring with those closest to him (mostly his kids teasing him and giving him grief), giving it out as well as he could take it. His infectious laugh drew you in, not only through the boisterous sound, but in resonation of the pure joy you could see in his delight of the time together.

That same delight was seen in jovial fashion with his 17 grandchildren, who endearingly called him “Bobo”, “Papa Joe”, and grandpa, often scheming to steal his “magic hat” that was signature to his daily fashion statements.

His love, his strength, his lessons, his humor, his hugs, and his smile, will be missed, but never forgotten.

Joe is lovingly remembered by his wife of 48 years, Cheryl (Somers) Harkenrider, Children: Shane (Saundra Evans) Harkenrider of Kenton, OH; Phillip (Ashley) Harkenrider of Fishers; Matthew (Amy) Harkenrider of Goshen; Mary (Jeremy) Elder, Sam (Rachelle) Harkenrider and Trevor Harkenrider all of Fort Wayne; Brothers: Terry (Mary) Harkenrider of Fort Wayne and Danny (Beth) Harkenrider of Underwood WA, Sisters: Anne Boch and Lynne Fricker of Charlevoix MI, and Sister in law, Diane Somers of Fort Wayne. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Gregory Harkenrider and sister Kaylene Harkenrider.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am Friday May 1, 2026 in The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1105 S. Calhoun St. with visitation from 9-10am in the church. Visitation also from 4-8pm Thursday at Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Ave. with the Rosary at 3:30pm. The family’s preferred memorials are the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, online at https://cff.org or by mail to 8445 Keystone Xing, Suite 135, Indianapolis, IN 46240, or to the Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI), online at https://dsani.org or by mail to P.O. Box 13611, Fort Wayne, IN 46865. To share a remembrance of Joe or to offer condolences to his family, please visit www.divinemercyfuneralhome.com. 

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,

and let Perpetual Light shine upon him.

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