Joseph Black

Joseph E. Black of Bruneau, Idaho, passed into the arms of the Lord on June 16, 2016, on his 88th birthday. Joe was foremost a family man and one who enjoyed spending time with friends of all ages from across the west. He was a cowboy, rodeo roper, horseman and rancher.

A fourth-generation horseman, Joe descended from a family who originally settled in the Bruneau Valley prior to Idaho's statehood. As a young man growing up in Bruneau, Joe spent the majority of his summers cowboying in the hills of Owyhee County.

Joe graduated with a class of four from Bruneau High School in 1946 and later attended college for two years at the College of Idaho. Joe, along with his extended family, raised horses and cattle supplying cavalry horses to the U.S. Army Remount Service program.

Joe met Margaret Fenwick, a ranch girl from Jordan Valley, and soon they were married, starting what grew to be a family of nine children. Joe supported his young family by running cattle ranches his father (Albert) had put together and by rodeoing. He worked alongside the crews of many great cowboys needed on these ranches, his kids grew up with these hands and Margaret kept them fed.

Joe was a focused and tenacious rodeo competitor, traveling and winning throughout southwest Idaho, eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.

As the family holdings grew, he and his siblings divided the several ranches Albert had accumulated and started operating their own ranches. Starting with the Dickshooter and Camas Creek Ranch, Joe and Margaret soon expanded their own cattle operations by acquiring additional ranches as their children grew and began to develop interests and involvement in the family business.

When their children reached adulthood and began to pursue their own interests, Joe reignited his passion for competitive team roping and riding fine rope horses. With a keen eye for a fine horse and skillful hand with a rope, Joe taught and encouraged his sons and grandchildren in their own roping endeavors.

For the remainder of his life, he supported their roping ambitions by traveling and roping with them as well as attending their roping competitions throughout the west.

As the years went on with a generation of grandchildren underway and the cattle ranches in the hands of his sons, Joe traveled constantly to attend his grandchildren's sporting events. His infectious smile, boisterous laugh and distinct hand clap were always a part of those events making many more lifelong friends.

Through his continuous support, he was able to inspire another generation to be confident in their skills, diligent in their pursuits, and competitive while being friendly and welcoming to all. He was a loyal supporter to friends and extended family.

While visiting old friends who were homebound or struggling with health issues, Joe brought his love and good cheer in order to improve their circumstances.

Joe was preceded in death by his daughter, Celia M. Tindall of Bruneau, his grandson Blaise Black, his brothers Asa and Douglas Black, sister Virginia Miller and his parents, Albert L. and Bonnie B. Black. He is survived by Margaret, his wife of 67 years; their sons, Danial (Suzi), Robert, Jay, Douglas (Darlene), Joseph Christopher, Lowell (Sherry), Timothy and Joseph Sean; 26 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren; a special aunt, Mattie Black; his brother, Robert L. Black; and son in-law, Dave Tindall.

A viewing will be held Wednesday evening, June 22, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a Rosary service, both at the Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel at 500 North 18th East St. in Mountain Home. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday morning, June 23, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 115 N 4th East St. in Mountain Home.

Joe will be laid to rest at the Bruneau Cemetery on June 23, 2016, following the Mass. A reception will be held at the Legion Hall in Bruneau following the interment.

The family thanks all the many friends for their calls and visits in the last months of Joe's life. Contributions may be made in Joe's honor to the scholarship fund of the Blaise Black Foundation, Inc., 1818 West Spanish Bay Drive, Eagle, ID 83616.