On Saturday evening, 28 May 2022, Joseph Anthony Szewc peacefully passed away in his sleep at the age of 88 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Joseph is survived by the love of his life, Brigitte, whom he married in Chicago in 1976, and who was by his side every day.

Joe was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1934, to Joseph and Mary Szewc. He graduated from Washington High School in 1951 and went on to attend Carnegie-Mellon (then Carnegie Institute of Technology) where he graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1956. Upon graduation, Joe went on to the United States Air Force Officer Cadet School and was commissioned in the USAF in 1958. He continued to serve in the Air Force for more than 20 years. During this time, he also served in Vietnam in 1971 and 1972, completing more than 178 combat hours during 124 combat missions, while in the back seat of an F-4 Phantom, and earned the Bronze Star, Air Medal (Six Oak Leaf Clusters), Distinguished Flying Cross (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Force Commendation Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster), and Combat Readiness Medal.

While serving at Homestead Air Force Base, Joe completed his Master's degree at Florida International University, and upon retiring from the Air Force became a college professor teaching first at St. Leo College, Embry Riddle University, and the University of Miami, and then once he and his wife, Brigitte, opened the Kittiwake Bed and Breakfast in Yachats, Oregon, he taught at Oregon Coast Community College in Newport, Oregon. While there greeting guests at the Kittiwake on the beautiful Pacific coast, he was inspired to pursue his dream of being a mystery writer and published his first novel "Who Shot Buckey". For the last 15 years, Joe and Brigitte have resided in Titusville, FL, while Joe was working on his second book, "Who Shot Barney."

Joe joins his sister Violet Allison in heaven and is survived by his wife Brigitte, Son Michael Szewc and his wife Ginger, his son Christian Sieg and his wife Violeta, his grandchildren Alysha, Brittany, and Alexander, and many great-grandchildren!

Services will be held at 9:30 AM on June 3, 2022, at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, 5525 US-1, Mims, FL 32754 (Lane B - Please arrive 15 minutes early).

The family of Joseph Anthony Szewc invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in his loving memory.