Joseph Edward Kilsheimer

Joseph Edward Kilsheimer Sr. died peacefully on October 23, 2026, ten days after his 97th birthday.

Joe was born on October 13, 1929, in Mount Vernon, NY, to James B. and Florence Kilsheimer.  The youngest of five children, he was the last surviving sibling.  Joe attended Fordham Preparatory School and Fordham College.  After graduating from college, he entered the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an ensign. He was stationed in Key West and later in Norfolk, attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

After his Navy service, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

While stationed in Norfolk, Joe met the love of his life, Colleen Hill, a social worker from North Carolina. They were married in Shelby, NC, on August 18, 1956, and raised six children together.

Joe’s career in quality assurance led him to positions of increasing responsibility at major companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Rexall, Vanda Beauty Counselor and Max Factor Cosmetics. He also co-authored a chapter on training plant personnel in the professional reference book, 'The Cosmetic Industry: Scientific and Regulatory Foundations', published in 1984. Each new job brought a change of scenery. Joe and Colleen moved from Philadelphia to New Jersey, St. Louis, Orlando, Los Angeles and then back to Orlando. In the early 1980s, they settled in Durham, NC, where Joe eventually retired.

Joe was devoted to his Catholic faith. In retirement, he devoted his time to volunteer work with The Arc of North Carolina and the Boy Scouts of America. His Scouting involvement included helping lead Durham’s Troop 46, and he received a 50-year pin recognizing his decades of involvement in Scouting. In 2016, Joe and Colleen received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Arc of North Carolina for their service to individuals with cognitive disabilities.

Joe and Colleen were avid campers who shared a love of travel and adventure, covering many miles across the United States with their fifth-wheel trailer.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Colleen, in 2018; their son, John, in 2024; and his siblings, Charlotte, Ruth, James and John.

He is survived by his children, Joe Jr. (Cheryl), Stephen, Tom (Maurine), Lisa, and Susan (Darryl); his daughter-in-law, Lisa, widow of John; 10 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Mass will be held at Holy Ghost Catholic Church on Friday, November 13th at 12pm with Father Orr officiating.

Online condolences may be left at www.mynattfh.com

Mynatt Funeral Home is honored to serve the Kilsheimer family.