Obituary of Joe Simunich

Joseph Simunich, caring husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, recently passed at age 89 on November 3, 2020 having lived a full life of hard work, adventure, and sacrifice. 

Born March 15, 1931 to Big Mike and Anna Simunich at Saint Alphonsus in Boise, Joe spent his early life assisting his parents on their family farm growing hay and milking cows amongst his seven siblings.  He attended Franklin Grade School for 11 years, and upon the schools’ closing, finished high school at Saint Teresa’s Academy, graduating in 1949. Joe continued his education at Boise Junior College until deciding to volunteer for military service in 1952. For two years he served as a drill sergeant in the 3^rd Armored Division of the US Army in Fort Knox, Kentucky. 

After his service, Joe returned to Boise where he began a 20-year career with the MacGregor Triangle Company. His construction job sent him all over the west as a superintendent to Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, California, and Montana, where he built bridges, railroads, streets, highways, and more. Some of the most notable of these projects include the Lochsa highway connecting Kooskia to Missoula, the road to Arrow Rock Dam, the St. Maries Highway, Tower Junction Bridge at the entrance to Yellowstone Park via Cooke City, the American River Project, the highway over Teton Pass into Jackson, the road to Stanley/Lowman, and a railroad project near Maryhill, on the Columbia River.

During this time, Joe made a trip to Croatia to visit family. While in Gospić, Joe met Katherine Seric. After long distance correspondence, Joe returned to marry Katherine in Bilaj, Croatia, in 1961.

After working for MacGregor Triangle, Joe held project management positions with Asphalt Paving and Central Paving completing local jobs. Infrastructure in the valley that Joe contributed to include the Flying Y, the connector, the road to Bogus Basin, and Eagle Road, one of the busiest in Idaho. Joe also completed work on the Boise Airport, Protest Hill, Walters Ferry, and the Boise Towne Mall parking lot. A testament to his great work ethic, while working construction jobs in the valley, Joe and Katy also farmed a 60-acre plot of land in Meridian, which was purchased in the early 70s.  

Joe is survived by his wife, Katherine; siblings: John, Mary and Rosie; daughter, Maria (Randy) and son, Mike; granddaughters: Danica, Michelle, Alex, and Teresa; great-grandchildren: Joseph, Maximilian, and Hazel, and numerous nieces and nephews both in America and Croatia. Joe is preceded in death by his parents: sisters: Betty, Millie and Christie: brother, Marko “Butch”; nephew: Tom and Bob, and niece, Helen.

Services will be held on Thursday, November 12^th at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 6300 N. Meridian Rd. in Meridian, the rosary will begin at 10:15 AM followed by the celebration of the funeral mass at 11:00 AM.  Masks are required at the church.  If you are unable to attend in person you are invited to join the family virtually at https://www.facebook.com/holyapostles.church/ Private interment will be at Morris Hill Cemetery.  Remembrances may be left for the family at www.AccentFuneral.com.  Services are under the care of Accent Funeral Home and Cremation, Meridian. Memorials may be made in Joe’s name to the charity of your choice.