Joseph Ralph Semer

Joseph Ralph Semer died in Hospice Care at his daughter’s home in Columbia, TN on February 25, 2020.  He was surrounded by loved ones as he passed peacefully into eternal life. He was born to Joseph Semer and Mary (Bruner) Semer on June 26, 1941 in Youngstown, OH.  Joseph was the oldest sibling with two brothers, Tom and Rick, following after him. He was very industrious as a child, and found a way to lengthen his mom’s knitting needles in order to accommodate her growing boys and he even invented a new and improved bigger baby bottle made from a 16 oz soda bottle from the corner drug store because his baby brother, Tom, was an extra hungry toddler. At 12 years of age, he built his first working radio.

In his early 20s, Joe, volunteered for service in the Army and was stationed in Germany working with nuclear arms during the Vietnam war. He often recalled the day an unarmed Honest John Rocket was accidentally launched into the mess hall during lunch time. He would laugh with tears in his eyes as he remembered soldiers flying for the exits, windows included, as the missile shot straight threw the building, leaving a massive exit wound. He could not believe, not one soldier was hurt in what was such a spectacular event. After 10 years in military service, Joe worked as a maintenance director in the prison system in South Carolina. It was said of Joe that he was the real-life MacGyver of the prison and that in his 20 years of work, nothing had to be outsourced. He personally serviced every lock, every pipe, every beam and served every prisoner making him an irreplaceable servant to mankind as he faithfully met the needs of “even the least” among us. During this time, he became a licensed instructor for redundant communication. With his expertise, he taught classes for the University of South Carolina and worked with the state of South Carolina to develop policies and procedures for emergency communication. Being a lover of communication, Joe also constantly looked for ways to spread the good news of God’s love to mankind. He had several study bibles, commentaries and concordances in his possession and had written many teachings using those resources. The keys to the Kingdom of God and the architectural significance of the ancient temple in Jerusalem were two of his favorite teaching topics. During his life, he worked many part-time jobs to keep the money flowing, his favorite position was working as a DJ at a local radio station in Johnston, SC. Upon the death of his first wife, Diane, he moved to Tennessee for what would be the last chapter of his life. He married Deborah Pearce and inherited 3 daughters and a slew of grandchildren, which he considered his own, along with his natural grandchildren, Matthew, Gideon and Patrick.

Joseph is survived by his two natural daughters, Mary Vivas of Edgefield, SC and Alice Kirkland of Saluta, SC. He is also survived by three inherited daughters, Danyalle Youngers of Mt Juliet TN, Bethany Torino of Columbia, TN and Sarah Allison of Conroe, TX.

Joseph’s memorial services will be held at a private farmhouse in Columbia, TN. His ashes will be buried in the Memory Forest at Heritage Memorial Gardens in Columbia, TN.

The family would like to thank Hospice Compassus for providing compassionate care to the entire family through Joe’s final months. Also, Grace Bible Fellowship provided much needed meals, prayers, companionship and support for the family in the last years of Joe’s life.

Joseph Semer was a kind, compassionate and honest man who lived his life through the people he met, collecting memories as if they were made of pure gold, making him one of the wealthiest men on earth.