I was lucky enough to meet Joe and his lovely wife in 2008 during the Maine Meetup- even though they couldn't stay the entire weekend due to house renovations, I was very glad to meet them and spend some time with them. It's always great to meet the people you've only talked to on the internet, and I found both Joe and Hilary to be truly wonderful people. At times like this, someone always says something like that, but in this case it isn't me just being polite- they truly were the kind of people you could just sit with and enjoy their company.
This is a photo taken from that weekend, and with each passing year I kick myself for not having gotten back to Maine for another Meetup sooner. From left to right- John (aka Hawchucker on the forum), Me, Bob (aka J-Sews on the forum), then Joe and Hilary.
This photo is even more poingiant as John passed away just over two years ago as well, and barely a day goes by that we don't think about him and the contributions he had also made to the site.
Joe was one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met, not just about multitools and pocket knives, but also about a great many subjects and I consider us very lucky to have had him among our ranks.
I would like to send out my deepest condolences to Hilary and the rest of Joe's family and loved ones and I hope they know just how much of an impact Joe had on us here at Multitool.org and around the world. He will be missed, and he will be remembered. His memory will live on here as long as this site exists.
If you knew Joe, or want to leave any thoughts for his family, please feel free to do so on the forum.