Joseph Dennis Dwyer
June 15, 1943 - November 11, 2024
Joe Dwyer was born in Black River Falls, WI, June 15, 1943 to Vincent Joseph Dwyer and Esther Mary Dwyer nee Sichler.
The youngest of four children, Joe grew up often hunting with his dog before school and then leaving his catch with his mom. He enjoyed an active social life and had many friends all through school. Joe loved deer hunting and bird hunting as well as fishing during his years growing up.
As an adult, Joe would go hunting and trout fishing in Montana many times during the years that he and Sharan lived and worked there as a young couple. After their move to Alaska, Joe preferred halibut fishing in Kachemak Bay and dipnetting the Kenai River.
As a young man, Joe worked for the local grocer as a butcher. He also helped out with the family butchering. This would be a lifelong hobby of Joe’s: to get to know the local butcher, carefully select the cuts he wanted and then age the meat himself to a perfect tenderness. His family always looked forward to steaks- often preferring them to anything they could get at a restaurant.
Upon graduating high school, Joe married his high school sweetheart, Sharan Jeannine Green, who would share the next 63 years of their well-traveled life together. They left Wisconsin in 1961 to live in Montana where their first 4 children were born. They were in the lumber business until 1970 at which time they moved to Wyoming to work the oil patch. Working together, Joe drove water trucks and picked up odd jobs building his knowledge base around that industry; while Sharan raised their children. Eventually, they were able to save up enough money to move to Alaska in 1975 achieving a longtime dream.
After they drove up the Alcan, they waited for housing to open up in Anchorage by living in Centennial Campground for a summer. By the end of the summer, Joe had gotten a job working for Alyeska Service Company. The family would eventually settle on the Kenai Peninsula where they welcomed their fifth child, a girl. Joe would stay with the pipeline company, rising through the ranks to supervisor- overseeing several pump stations over the 27 years that he was under their employ. After retiring, they talked him into coming back to do contract work for the next several years.
In 2017, Joe retired from work outside the home for good. He and Sharan began their much anticipated travel around the country, often staying at their park in Arizona in the winter between forays to various states to see places old and new, family and friends. In the summer, they loved spending time back in Alaska with family and enjoying more time with friends.
Joe is survived by his wife Sharan, their five children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Dave Norton
Joe had been ill for several years and I'm sorry to hear of his passing from Rick Larson. I enjoyed working with him as fellow ROW maintenance supervisors in the 80s. After his retirement from Ayeska he couldn't sit on the couch and went back to work on TAPS with us at Hawk Consultants. He was always a pleasure to interact with because of his way of telling stories that got the point across. It made work fun. RIP Joe.
Pat Campbell
I'm saddened to hear about Joe's passing.
He was such a sweet and loving man with a great sense of humor and generousness of spirit. My heart goes out to Sharan and their family.
Mel Jessee
Sorry to hear of Joe's passing. I always looked forward to interacting with Joe as he generally found a way to lighten the mood with his stories and big smile!
Morris Cunningham
I first met Joe back in Jan. of 77 when I was sent to PS #4 as a new hire Tech. I worked with Joe until he relocated to PS02 as CPSS. I have spent severals days over the years with him and his family in the summer fishing and just helping out around his place during fishing down time. Joe wife Sharan is a great cook, spent some great times at the table, (Yum). Over the years watched the kids grow up into adults, really nice family. We would tell stories and discuss people and things going on in out live over something wet and cold, I will miss those times. Joe would give you his blunt honest opinion, in a world of fake people weather you liked it or not (Refreshing). Now there are some stories I could tell on Joe, but I am not because I would be telling on myself. Miss you Joe RIP!
Brenda Phillips
I worked with Joe at PS04 and sad to hear of his passing. He was a great and loving person. I will always remember him during Christmas time when he played Santa Claus to Laurie Ashby's great twin nieces. Sending prayers to Sharan and his family.
Greg Kinney
Joe was a friend as well as a mentor, and he was one of the best bosses I ever had. He was a raconteur who had a lot of stories, and he could sure tell them. The last time I saw him, probably about 10 years back, he was at one of our project meetings as a "retread" construction manager and he had the whole room, mostly newer people who never worked with him, wrapped around his finger. And yes he could be blunt, but always fair. I'll never forget the time sitting in his office at Pump Station 1, when he was Regional Maintenance Supervisor in the Northern Business Unit days. He was on the phone for quite a while with a senior manager, saying "uh huh" again and again while listening to him talk. Finally, it was his turn to talk and he said: "Now just because I've been telling you uh-huh doesn't mean I agree with you, I just mean I understand what you're trying to say. But we tried that before and here's what happened when we did." And with that, he headed off another wrong turn that we would have otherwise taken. I miss Joe and I'm sure that everyone who knew him felt the same.
Gary Dillon
I don't have the workds to say what Joe (papa) means to me. Here is something I read that comes close. "When we trully love someone, our gretest fear is that the loved one will stop loving us. What we should fear and dreat, of course, is that we won't stop loving them, even after they;er dead and gone. The love I have and can't give you crushes the breath from my chest. " You are one of a kind my dear friend. Dillon
Cathy Girard
Ugh...where to start. Joe broke the mold. Joe was the dad, grandfather, boss, co-worker, and friend who would kick your ass because he knew you could and should do better. His way of approaching me and others earned our immense respect. If you wanted truth, resilience, inspiration, guidance, wisdom, a hug or a party, you could trust Joe to deliver. The consummate professional, I rarely saw him out of his hardhat which he wore through the chow line and all the way to his PLQ room. When I think of the 8 Mindsets that Alyeska is currently using as a roadmap, Joe lived all 8 on a daily basis. He owned his role and he expected all of us to own ours too. So much of the field culture that thrives today was built by Joe's commitment to Alyeska, Alaska, and our people. Godspeed to you, Joe. Thank you for being a mentor, role model, and anchor. It's no surprise that you passed on Veteran's Day - I will never forget you.
Keith Burke
Joe was truly one of a kind. No matter where came in contact with him he always had a Great Smile and friendly greeting. A real people person and role model in life and work. We will all miss you Joe and heaven isbetter off with you there. Bless you Joe!
Larry Wood
I quickly join in these accolades concerning Joe: so very well said. Joe was always very kind, helpful, and upbeat. He worked with a quiet, strong confidence and took a genuine interest in each of us. One of those people who you could immediately trust. Solid, capable and inspiring too. Our prayers for his family as we remember Joe with a big smile and heartfelt "very well done."