Submitter’s Name: Mary Wyscaver
The Service Member’s Name: Joe Fankhauser
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Military Job: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Hometown for Service Member: Mason, Texas
Staff Sergeant Joseph (Joe) Fankhauser
August 27, 1981 to April 22, 2012
Staff Sergeant Joseph (Joe) Frankhauser was born August 27, 1981, in Edinburgh, Texas. He spent most of his childhood with his mother in Robstown and Kingsville, Texas. His middle school years were spent in San Marcos where he was in the Junior ROTC Program at San Marcos Baptist Academy. He also spent some school days with his father in the Rio Grande Valley, where he attended Sharyland schools and participated in the high school band. Joe enjoyed activities such as Cub and Boy Scouts and he achieved “Eagle Scout.” He received the “Arrow of Light,” and participated in the Royal Ambassadors, Vacation Bible School, little League baseball. He loved playing with the neighborhood kids and loved his GI Joe toys, teddy bears, reading and was especially fond of elderly people and young children. Joe liked Christmas colors, red and green. Spam, MREs and broccoli were among his favorite foods.
Upon graduation from Mason High School, near the panhandle of Texas, he entered the Marine Corps. He served in Okinawa, Japan; Washington D.C.; and served four tours of duty in Iraq and was serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan at the time of his death. He was a member of the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. During his twelve-year career in the military, he earned numerous awards, including two Purple Hearts. He married October 1, 2005.
Joe is survived by his immediate family, his wife of seven years, Heather Frankhauser of Oceanside, California; his father, Henry Fankhauser of McAllen; and his mother, Mary Wyscaver of Temple. He had numerous relatives and friends and will be missed by all of them.
[rev_slider joef]