Robert Joseph “Joe” Rising, 64, of Rochester Mills, passed away on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at home, after his battle with pancreatic cancer.
The son of the late Robert D. and Jean (Houser) Rising, he was born on July 28, 1956, in Indiana.
Joe was a graduate of Marion Center High School, where he excelled in the FFA program. He worked on his family’s dairy farm, and also for Rolling Green Acres Dairy Farm, Charlie Houser, C.L. Ruffners and Son, Clearview Farms, Mears Enterprises, Amfire Mining and recently for Star Iron Works. He had also served North Mahoning Township as a supervisor since 2003.
Joe loved working on machines, especially when it came to restoring tractors both big and small. He could fix anything. When he and his brother, John, were young, they saved up and bought a welder and taught themselves to weld. He loved spending time with both his real family and his work family.
When his eldest grandkids were young, he enjoyed taking them fishing, even if they barely caught anything. He also enjoyed taking his eldest grandkids to Pizza Town and always sitting in a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. He always enjoyed visits from his daughter and her family in Tennessee. He always looked forward to hosting the Outlaw-In-Law Father’s Day picnic at his house and could always be found at the cooker making the best chicken around.
Joe loved spending time with his grandchildren, planting a garden in the spring and sharing it with family and neighbors and being able to help anyone who needed it.
He leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Sarah (Anthony) Rising. His children include Tina Rising Mundy, her husband David Mundy and son Caleb of Dandridge Tennessee, and Peggy Cribbs, her husband Jason Cribbs, and their children, Jolene, who was named after him, and Alexander of Blairsville.
Surviving siblings are Mary Isenberg and husband Ronald of Indiana, Carol Buterbaugh of Indiana, Patricia Rising of Indiana, Catherine Kimmel of Home, Linda Stephens and husband Gary of Indiana, Janet Lippert and husband Russell of Marion Center, John Rising and wife Jennifer of Indiana, Edward Rising and wife Rene of Indiana, and Joanne Ruffner and husband Gerald of Homer City. Surviving brothers- and sisters-in-law are Tim Anthony and wife Theresa of Denton, Texas; Edward Anthony and wife Diane of Hillsdale; and Barbara Means and husband Stephen of Punxsutawney. Also surviving is his mother-in-law, Twila Margaret (Peggy) Anthony of Rochester Mills, and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Clifford Anthony; infant brother William Rising; brother-in-law Randy Kimmel; brother-in-law Larry Buterbaugh; nephew Andy Isenburg; and great-nieces Faith and Hope Sabo.
Family and friends are invited to gather for a celebration of his life on Sunday, March 21, 2021, from 2 to 4 p.m., with a service following at 4 p.m. at the First Church of God, 23 Skyview Dr., Punxsutawney PA 15767.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the First Church of God, 23 Skyview Dr., Punxsutawney, PA 15767, or to the Gilgal Cemetery, 638 Gilgal Rd., Marion Center, PA 15759.
Deeley Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
