Joseph G. Sandovale

Joseph G. Sandovale, 83, of Kalamazoo, and formerly of Battle Creek, died September 16, 2014. Joe was born November 13, 1930 in Pearland, TX to Fidel and Sarah Sandoval. Joe served his country honorably in two different tours with the U.S. Army.

Joe was a salesman in the insurance industry for many years and was a truck driver later in life. He was a member of the Battle Creek Optimist Club and enjoyed hunting, ball room dancing and driving stock cars, racing at the Galesburg Speedway in the late 1940's and early 1950's. He also liked to listen to music and read Civil War history books. Joe was a former longtime member at Calvary Baptist Church.

Joe is survived by his four children, Joe Sandoval, Linda Gokey, Christa (Knuth) Koppius and Sandra (Patrick) Spiering; four grandchildren, Gary Sandovale, Nikki Sandoval, Gabriella Spiering and Joshua Spiering; one great-grandson, Trey Sandoval; a sister, Alice Gutierrez and three brothers, Rudy Sandoval, Fidel Sandoval, Jr. and Ben Sandoval. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, and his former wife, Lisa Sandovale.

Funeral services to celebrate Joe's life will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home. Interment with full military honors will follow at Fort Custer National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.