Joseph L. Dryden

Joseph L. "Joe" Dryden, 85, of Galesburg, died at 3:13 AM, Sunday, December 12, 2010 at the Bounce Back Unit at Seminary Manor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 15 with Msr. Ernest Pizzamiglio officiating. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM Tuesday, December 14 at Watson Funeral Home with a rosary being recited at 7:00 PM. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church or to the Seminary Manor Bounce Back Unit.  Joe was born April 4, 1925 in St. Louis, MO, the son of Winton F. and Marie Louise (Karst) Dryden. He married June Raeker in 1951 in St. Louis, MO. She died on June 28, 1984. He later married Barbara "Barb" Brown on November 15, 1985 in Galesburg. She survives as well as their children, Tom (Sylvia) Dryden of Canton, MI, Amy (Scot) Thompson of Knoxville, Joanie Johnson of Barnett, MO, Richard (Annie) Peterson of Grantham, NH., Ronald (Dyan) Peterson and Rhonda (Daniel) Rux, both of Galva, Robin (Bruce) McCance of Galesburg, Ellen (David) McDowell of Wataga and Kim (Bruce) Elsner of Burtchville, MI, twenty-two grandchildren, seven sisters, Geraldine (John) Flynn of St. Louis, MO, Frances Dryden, O.P. of Sparkill, N.Y., Clotilda ( George) Nisbet of Cuba, MO., Angelique Dryden O.P. of St. Louis, MO, Constance Dryden, RSCJ, Jinga, Uganda, Africa, Carm (Rod) Anderson of Taylor, MI., and Anne Dryden of Alexandria, VA., and two brothers, Malcolm and Louis (Mary Anna) Dryden both of St. Louis, MO, many nieces and nephews and his dear friend, Rick Johnson. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and two sisters.  He graduated from high school in St. Louis and then from the Missouri School of Mines at Rolla. He was a WWII veteran serving his country in the Navy. He had worked as a mechanical engineer for Bixby-Zimmer until his retirement in 1989. He was a charter member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church where he had been a money counter for a number of years. He was a pilot and enjoyed flying and in his earlier years, enjoyed golf and jogging. He was also an avid reader and was a generous blood donor for the American Red Cross. But his greatest joy came from spending time with his grandchildren and watching them grow. The family wishes to express their deepest thanks to the girls at Seminary Manor’s Bounce Back Unit for all their special care and concerns for Grampy Joe.