Joseph James Moritz

Joseph James Moritz, 88, died from complications of COVID-19 in the early morning on Saturday, December 12 at Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, NH.

Joe was born on April 13, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA. He was the son of Joseph and Dorothea Moritz and the oldest of four siblings: Loretta Retzback (née Moritz), Dorothy Kelly (née Moritz) and Dennis Moritz. In order to support his mother and siblings, Joe dropped out of high school to join the Navy. He was accepted into the Submarine School and served during the Korean War. Upon discharge he spent years working a variety of jobs while he attended night school to earn his GED. He then continued his night studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia and graduated after many years with a degree in chemical engineering.

He married Annamarie Sloss on December 17, 1983 and over the course of their thirteen-year marriage, they had a wonderful assortment of adventures. They started and ran a successful assisted living home in southern Vermont, relocated to St. Maries, Idaho to experience the Pacific Northwest, and ultimately moved back to Vermont to raise their family. Joe discovered the joys of fatherhood later in life; he had his first child Katie at fifty-six and his second child Joe at sixty. Joe was a stay-at-home-dad, homeschooling Joe and Katie until the fourth grade. He taught his children to follow their dreams, to cheer for the underdog, and to bravely define their own paths in life.

Joe loved reading and enjoyed saying that he had taught himself to swim from reading a book. He believed that you could become whoever you wanted to be, and that mindset was key to getting through tough times. He enjoyed tennis, golf, watching football with his son, and photography. After he retired, he worked for over ten years as a cashier at the Walmart in Littleton and volunteered at both Littleton Regional Hospital and NVRH.

Joe Moritz is survived by his daughter Kathryn Moritz, her husband, Brian Wallace, their son –and Joe's first grandchild – Ulysses Moritz Wallace; his son Joseph Moritz and his partner Ariel Aiken; his ex-wife Annamarie Sloss and her husband David Brody, both of whom were good friends with Joe; his sister Dorothy Kelly and her children and their families; his sister Loretta and her husband Richard Retzback; and his brother Dennis Moritz, his wife Janet, and their daughter and her family.

Joe was extremely worried about contracting COVID-19 and chose to isolate in March. He sacrificed the social elements that he enjoyed most in his life, namely his volunteering, dinners out, and enjoying a cup of coffee down at the Maplefields in hopes that he would remain safe. A broken shoulder eventually placed him in the NH Veterans Home, where he contracted COVID-19. He loved babies and was thrilled to become a first-time grandparent in September. He was able to hold his grandson thirty-three days before he died.

The family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the staff at Lakes Region General Hospital for their kind and attentive care. The family asks that in Joe's honor you wear a mask, practice social distancing, and be considerate of those who are vulnerable. A private celebration of life will be held for family and friends when it is safe to socialize. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the NVRH Auxiliary, where they may be put towards the hospital's scholarship fund and/or annual Wish List, at 1315 Hospital Drive, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, Attention Pat Forest, for more information. The Cremation Society of New Hampshire has been entrusted with arrangements. To leave a message of condolence or for more information please visit www.csnh.com.