Joseph “Joe” Zuniga, 67, town of Dewey, the owner of the area’s junior hockey team, died unexpectedly Thursday, July 12, 2012.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Highland Church in Plover, with Pastor Dan Winkelman officiating. Burial will be in the Plover Cemetery.
Visitation will be at Plover-Shuda Funeral Home in Plover from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and at the church from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday.
A memorial will be established in his name.
Condolences may be offered online at www.shudafuneral.com.
Mr. Zuniga was born June 11, 1945 in Billings, Mont., a son of the late Gregory and Candelaria (Caudillo) Zuniga. As a child his family moved to St. Paul, Minn., where he completed school.
He entered the U.S. Navy on Oct. 18, 1963, in Minneapolis, Minn., and was honorably discharged Oct. 16, 1965, from Norfolk, Va.
He was married to Diane Tucci on July 16, 1966, in St. Paul, Minn.
The couple settled in the Twin Cities until 1979 when the family moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. In 1986 they moved to Stevens Point.
He worked at various jobs during his career: automotive repair, auto insurance and was employed at Sentry Insurance for more than 20 years. He was currently employed by State Farm Insurance as an appraiser.
He helped develop the first ice arena being built on a public high school campus in Kentwood, Mich. When he moved to the Stevens Point area he helped start the Saints Youth Hockey Association. He currently was the owner and general manager of the Central Wisconsin Saints Junior Hockey Team.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Michael (Megan), Portland, Ore., and Scott (Judy Rheinschmidt), Mosinee; two daughters, Jodi (Mike) Maslinski, Stevens Point, and Michelle (Eric) Jastromski, Amherst; three brothers, Daniel (Christine), Louie (Marie) and Gregory (Christy); three sisters, Dolores (Ron) Belaire, Marie (Kelly) Green and Tina Zuniga; eight grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
He was also preceded in death by one sister, Barbara.
