Joseph Walter Jungen

Joseph Walter Jungen, lovingly known as Joe, passed away on August 15, 2026, in Boise, Idaho, at the age of 84. He was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1941, to Mary and Joseph Jungen in Wisconsin. Joe was the second oldest of eight children and spent his early years in Wisconsin before his family moved to California when he was 12.

Joe graduated from high school in 1960 and proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1961 to 1965. During his service, he worked in Cryptographic Operations overseas and was stationed in Rabat, Morocco, and Madrid, Spain. He also spent time serving in the Air Force JAG office and was stationed at Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Following his honorable discharge, Joe drove across the country to California, where he began working at Thrifty Drug on Rodeo Drive. It was there in 1965 that Joe met his future wife, Carole. Their meeting marked the beginning of a love story that would span more than six decades. Joe and Carole married in 1967 and remained devoted to one another throughout their 59 years together.

Their life together took them from California to Spokane and, in 1975, to Idaho, where work brought them to make their home. Over the years they lived in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and wintered in Florida and Arizona. Joe and Carole eventually worked together again at Medallion Mortgage, sharing not only a marriage but also a working life and many wonderful experiences.

Joe was a lifelong tennis player and loved the friendships and camaraderie that came with the sport. He created and ran a tennis group for many years, continuing to organize and bring people together through tennis until 2025.

Joe was a lifelong learner with a natural curiosity about the world around him. He was an avid reader and loved his daily crossword puzzles. He completed several crossword puzzles a day and continued doing them until the final week of his life. He also looked forward to his weekly visits to the library. His love of learning extended to television as well—Joe loved watching Jeopardy! and enjoyed testing his knowledge and learning something new along the way.

Joe was an enthusiastic sports fan and especially loved the Boise State Broncos, Washington State Cougars, and Green Bay Packers. He was especially proud that two of his children and six of his grandchildren graduated from Boise State University and one of his children graduated from WSU. Their accomplishments brought him tremendous joy and pride, and he loved cheering them on in their academic and personal achievements.

But above all else, Joe loved his family.

He was immensely proud of his children and deeply devoted to Carole. He cherished not only his children and their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but also his nieces, nephews, and siblings. Family gatherings were among his greatest joys.

Joe loved bringing people together and making them laugh. He especially enjoyed games and friendly competition at family gatherings, including rodeo golf, cornhole, ping pong, and axe throwing. He loved jokes, good-natured teasing, and the simple happiness that came from being surrounded by the people he loved.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Carole Jungen; his four children, Steve, Cheryl, Darryl, and William (Bill); 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his five sisters, Rose, Linda, Patricia, Stacey, and Elizabeth, along with many nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and extended family members who were very dear to him.

He was preceded in death by Mary Eva Hable, Harold John Hable, Joseph Michael Hable, Harold John Hable Jr., and Ginger Marie Burke.

Joe will be remembered for his devotion to Carole, his pride in his children, his love for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his loyalty to his family, his quick wit, his love of sports and tennis, his lifelong curiosity and love of learning, and his ability to turn an ordinary family gathering into something memorable.

He lived a life filled with love, laughter, friendship, family, and an appreciation for the everyday joys that make life special. His family was his greatest accomplishment and his greatest joy.

Joe will be deeply missed and forever loved. His memory will live on in the stories told around family gatherings, in games played in his honor, in crossword puzzles completed each morning, in the answers he knew while watching Jeopardy!, in tennis courts where friendships continue, and most of all, in the hearts of the many people whose lives he touched.

A funeral service with Military Honors will be held on Monday, August 24, 2026 at 11:00 am at Bowman Funeral Parlor located at 10254 W. Carlton Bay Garden City, Idaho.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.bowmanfuneral.com