Joseph Wayne Schovanec

  Joseph Wayne Schovanec, 70, of South Sioux City passed away Friday January 13, 2017 at a Sioux City Hospital. A Catholic memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday at Becker – Hunt Funeral Home with Rev. David Fulton officiating. Visitation with the family will be from 9 A.M. until service time at the funeral home. Joseph (Joe) was born April 14, 1946 in Sioux City, the son of Frank L. and Marie C. (Morgan) Schovanec. After high school, Joe enlisted in the Navy. He served during Vietnam and was honorably discharged September 15, 1966. Joe married Valerie Boverhof September 25, 1967 in Elko, NV.   Joe was a long-time resident of South Sioux City. He was a self-taught jack-of-all-trades and highly skilled in a diverse career that included iron work, welding and self-employment in auto body repair. Joe loved cars and working on them and believed in doing a job the right way or not at all. He took great pride in outworking others (including those much younger than him) until his retirement in 2008. Survivors include his wife Valerie; son Jeffery and his wife Valerie of La Vista, NE, and their children (Joe's grandchildren) Ryan, Caitlin, Alissa and Jaden; daughter Amy of South Sioux City and her children (Joe's grandchildren) Kacey, Korey and Jordan; and great grandchildren Kylee and Aubrey; brother Frank (Linda) Schovanec; and four sisters: Marilyn Schmidt, Mary (Doug) Merriman, Louise (Tim) Bernhardt, and Denise (Eugene) Kotalik. Joe was preceded in death by his parents and sister Carroll (Roger) Reinert. Through his passing, Joe will finish one last job by donating his organs and tissues to help dozens of strangers.