Joseph Raphael de Prez, OCDS, loving husband, Dad, friend passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2019 from complications from organ failures. Joseph spent the final 3 weeks of his life at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, surrounded by his wife Joanne and son Thomas and many God-sent Nurses on the Intensive Care Unit. Joseph had tremendous care by beautiful human beings, Doctors, NURSES, and other staff attached to his care 24/7.
Joseph has a large family spread out from mostly Mainer to Florida and California. There will be a Memorial Mass and celebration of Joseph’s Life in Maine this summer for all the folks that knew and loved Joseph for over 50 years of His Life. Joseph graduated from Cheverus Jesuit Catholic High School in Portland, Maine which really had a huge impact on his Faith Life.
Received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine and Psychology degree from Boston University. He also attended the University of Maine Law School. He spent many years as a Public Housing Director for HUD (over 20 years in Maine, several years in Wyoming, Virginia and 5 years at Hot Springs Housing Authority in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Other Positions he held were City Planner, Social Services Planner, Case Worker Manager, Counselor and Consultant for the City of Portland, Maine and Reston Interfaith in Reston, Virginia as a grant writer and Development Coordinator. Over the years Joseph has served on many Boards, Clubs, Landlord Associations, Housing Alternatives, Faith in Action Boards, Wyoming Aids Project, Knights of Columbus, Pro-Life Committees every where he lived. Life issues from the moment of conception to natural death has always been his number one concern.
Joseph worked for the Central Wyoming Rescue Mission (CWRM), Casper, Wyoming and the Central Wyoming Counseling Center as a Case Manager and Counselor providing comprehensive therapeutic recovery services to men and women, adolescents and families for in-house residential treatment program. He was a man with enormous faith, compassion and grace who shared his love, wisdom and moral ethics with his 13 children, multiple grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as his two brothers, Greg de Prez of South Portland, Maine, Ron de Prez of Portland, Maine and Sister Charlotte Brown of Santa Rosa, California. He served in the U.S. Air force prior to dedicating his career and life to humanitarian efforts, that included employment with the City of Portland, Executive Director of Housing Authorities in Maine, Virginia, Wyoming and Arkansas as well as a strong commitment to the 4th degree of the Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary in Washington D.C. Throughout Joseph’s Life he has loved his family, his children, siblings, grandchildren and every person he met along the way.
He loved people. He was a tremendous listener, he enjoyed Nature, the outdoors whether it be walking, hiking, biking, camping, reading, music, fishing or running (Joseph ran 10 miles a day for many, many years). Joseph took his final vows in the Order of Carmelites Discalced Secular a few months ago which takes 7 years of total dedication and prayer and Fr.
Raphael, OCD was the Celebrant who was there and Fr. Raphael died less than a month after. Above all else, Joseph had a life-long deeply rooted faith in Jesus Christ.
He loved spending time with Jesus in Adoration and going to daily Mass and receiving The Eucharist. Joseph was a part of endless Faith Groups and Bible Studies. He also was part of the Legionaries of Mary in Virginia.
Joseph always said that God Must Be First, Spouse second, His children third and everyone else next. He was a lover of all people. He saw the good in everyone!
Joseph knew He was a sinner, saved by the Grace and Mercy of God, but he put his Life, His Trust, his everything in the Hands of His Lord and Savior like no other person I have ever met. Joseph will be deeply, deeply missed by those who loved him and were touched by him in different ways, but we know he will not be forgotten and we know who’s hands He is in.
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