Joe worked for betterment of all

One of the great servants of Taranaki softball, basketball and the community was laid to rest on Tuesday.

New Plymouth's Joe Wetzel, 91, Marine veteran of World War II and inaugural chairman of the Taranaki Softball Association, died at Riverview Lodge Rest Home on Friday.

His funeral was held before a large crowd at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The founding father of softball in the region, Mr Wetzel was also instrumental in the development of Taranaki basketball, was involved in the construction of the Bowl of Brooklands, was charter president of the Egmont Lions Club, foundation member of Pukekura Toastmasters, and lay preacher at several churches, including St Andrew's.

He received the New Plymouth District Council's Citizenship Award for his many contributions to local organisations.

Mr Wetzel's son, Gary, said his father was an organised man who held himself up to high moral standards.

"He was a very religious man. It was to do for others and he didn't like people doing for him."

Joe Wetzel was born in 1918 in Monroe, Louisiana, the eldest of five sons, growing up on his family farm during the Great Depression,

Keeping a close relationship with religion, after graduating from high school, he trained for the ministry at the Louisiana Baptist University.

However, he left in 1939 to join the Marine Corps because he felt war was coming, and served with the Second Marine Division, Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion.He was in the campaigns on Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan.

While stationed in New Zealand, he met his future wife, Peggy Joyce, of Eltham, and the couple married in 1943, later raising a daughter and two sons.

Returning to America after the war, Peggy was soon homesick and the couple emigrated back to Taranaki in 1946.

Having played softball and basketball in his school years, Mr Wetzel began the formation of the Taranaki association, as the sport began to become popular here in the wake of Kiwi and stationed American servicemen playing it during the war.

This eventually developed into a large competition of more than 30 teams between North and South Taranaki, who in 1949 played for the Yankee Cup.

Retaining his United States military links, Mr Wetzel organised a game at Pukekura Park against a visiting US Warship team in 1952, and in the 1960s to '70s arranged bus trips for games at Ohakea Air Force base, Wanganui and Taumarunui.

"Dad represented Taranaki for a number of years. He did everything on those Saturdays," said Gary Wetzel.

The family would mark out the diamonds – using tyre flaps for home plate and sawdust in sacks for the bases.

Mr Wetzel played and coached right up until the early 1980s.

He also played basketball at the same time, helping set up the New Plymouth Basketball Association and being active until aged about 69 when he stopped on doctor's orders.

"He had a lot to do with getting it going and keeping it going in the community," Gary Wetzel said.

In later years, he volunteered for the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, doing supermarket runs and book deliveries for the library.

He served the Egmont Lions for 35 years as president, secretary and historian, and was a member of the Highlands School Committee.

Mr Wetzel used his ministry training in Fitzroy, Vogeltown and, finally, St Andrew's.

Gary Wetzel said his father loved to visit garage sales and op-shops to find old toys and other items and fix them up to give to his family.

"He loved all his grandchildren and great grandchildren, did all he could for any of them."

Mr Wetzel is survived by his three children, nine grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

- © Fairfax NZ News