Joseph Robert Lando, 80, a resident of Grantsburg, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of June 6, 2023, at Good Life Senior Living in Hugo, Minnesota.
Joseph was born on Sept. 26, 1942, in the Bay View neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Oklahoma Avenue Elementary School. When he was 11 years old his dad got him a morning paper route. Joe kept that job for four years, getting up every morning at 4 a.m. and in every weather condition possible and never missed a day. After graduating from Bay View High School in 1960, he immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and served until 1968. After basic training, Joe enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and where he met his wife, Gail Akermark. The two were married while still college students. Joe’s first teaching job was in the newly-formed Rocori School District in Cold Springs, Minnesota. He started out teaching eighth-grade geography, but soon he was also appointed to be the district’s audio-visual coordinator. Joe quickly enrolled in the media/library science program at St. Cloud State College. After earning his master’s degree in library science, he was offered a job as media coordinator at Osseo Senior High School in Osseo, Minnesota, where he worked until he retired in 2000.
During the years in Osseo, Joe and Gail’s family grew. First, there was a feisty baby girl, Cassandra, and then a mellow baby boy, Anthony, who arrived just one week after Joe had finished Grandma’s Marathon. Then in 1985, a teenage boy, Phea from Cambodia, and two years later another from Cambodia, teenager Centilla, became part of the family.
Joe loved active outdoor activities––running, skiing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, softball and camping. He took up motorcycling when he was 58 years old. He loved to travel and took the family on road trips to the mountains and national parks. And he loved taking the neighborhood kids skiing in the winter and up to the cabin on Wood Lake for fishing and boating. Joe loved animals, especially dogs, but he was also known to bring home stray cats.
After retirement, the Landos moved home to Big Wood Lake. Joe quickly became involved in volunteer activities that included Big Wood Lake Association, Habitat for Humanity, church council, Burnett Medical Center Foundation, Friends of the Library, the Swan Recovery Project and the Burnett County Humane Society.
Joseph is preceded in death by his parents; and brother-in-law, Harrison Sheppard.
He leaves behind his loving wife, Gail; daughter, Cassandra (Max) Ladzinski and grandchildren, Luis, Loren and Eden; son, Anthony (Shamyla) Lando and grandsons, Anthony-aka Champ and Rockwell; Sothea Phea (Centilla) Poch and grandchildren, Vanessa and Vincent; sister, Joy Sheppard; nephew, Justin Sheppard; grandnephew, Dillon Sheppard; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jerry and JoLouise McNally and Ralph and Beverly Akermark. And he leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews along with other relatives and friends.
The memorial service for Joseph will take place on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 2 p.m., with visitation from 1-2 p.m., at Faith Lutheran Church in Grantsburg with Pastor John Addison as the officiant.
Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at swedberg-taylor.com.
