[Jeff Teuton]

I would like to express the gratitude of our family on the passing of Big Joe and the many friends who posted condolences, the two to three thousand people who paid their last respects and the three hundred or so flowers and plants from around the nation. It was a great send off. I apologize to anyone who we did not get to shake hands with at the ceremony or anyone we did not acknowledge for the many cards, letters, and other things people did that were just so heartwarming and meant so much to the family. Many did not know how active Joe was with young people and baseball. He helped many young people with scholarships, grants and who knows what else in his lifetime. There was a regular stream from the majors to college scouts who would visit regularly and ask Joe, "who is out there I need to look at" and he knew who might get where; majors, minors, college and lots of young guys went way further than they could have done without someone looking out for them. The ceremony had all the many years of racers, baseballers, car and truck people, and local citizens. It was too large to have what I had hoped to be a series of Big Joe Stories which only he could tell. He was the master of embellishment and never let the facts get in the way of a story. There is a thread of Big Joe Stories started and I hope anyone who has one please post it. Again Thank You from the Teuton family. And Kevin Helms won Houston with Big Joe riding shotgun.