Date Of Birth: June 19, 1915
Date Of Death: May 24, 2005
Jose Ramos JovenJose Ramos Joven, 89 of Indianapolis and Caryville, Florida, passed away Tuesday. Mr. Joven also known as "Manong Joe," was born June 19, 1915 to Macaria and Manuel Joven in Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. He had three brothers and three sisters.In 1930, at the age of 14, Jose left the Philippines, and traveled alone to the United States in order to seek a better life. He worked in the fields and orchards of California, Oregon and Washington. He also took odd jobs so that he could earn a living and put himself through high school in San Francisco, Calif. Eventually, he became a U.S. citizen, never seeing his parents or homeland again.Mr. Joven joined the U.S. Navy during WWII, where he served as a ship steward in Europe. After the war, he returned to America and settled among a large Filipino Community in Chicago, where he attended an electronics trade school.In 1949, he married Dorothy Juanita Gates, now deceased, and moved to Indianapolis to take a job with RCA as an electronics technician and troubleshooter. He was among the first Filipinos to relocate to Indianapolis. Mr. Joven and his first wife, Dorothy, had two children, Jose Charles Joven and Rebecca Maria Huskey, before the couple divorced in 1957.Mr. Joven married Flora Villamor Nasis on March 30, 1964. Their Eastside home became an unofficial "Welcome Center" for Filipinos moving to the Indianapolis area. The couple were among the original members of the Barangay Club, a Filipino-American social organization. They reared four children, John N. Joven, James A. Joven, Maria F. Harper and Mario N. Joven.In 1975, Mr. Joven retired from RCA. During his long and fruitful retirement, he remained vital and active. His interests included tennis, bowling, fishing, cooking and gardening. He especially enjoyed growing exotic vegetables from his homeland in the backyard, and he frequently shared them with his family and friends. His three-acre homestead in Florida was lovingly called the "mini-Banawe terraces."Mr. Joven loved to cook. At barbeques, he would man the grill, inviting guests to eat and drink, saying "Don’t worry about a thing." He was an avid reader who kept up with current events. In addition, Mr. Joven was a parishioner at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Indianapolis and Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Bonifay, Florida.He is survived by Flora, his loving wife of 41 years, his six children, 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. "Lolo will be missed by all.In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Lawrence or Scecina Memorial High School.
Ruth Bill Carder says
Flora and family, our prayers are with all of you. Love you all.
Brad Stevens says
Dr. Joven,
Our family would like to extend our sympathy to you and your family at this time. May the Lord Bless you and your family during this time.
Maribeth Ransel says
Dear Jim, John and families:
I was so saddened to hear of your father’s death. I know this has been a difficult time for all of you, and I know you will move forward with great memories of your dad in your hearts and minds. I will keep you all in my prayers. Maribeth Ransel
Paula Richey says
Dear John and Family,
I am so sorry for the loss of your Father. Take solace that your dad now lives in peace with our Lord, Jesus Christ. God Bless, Paula Richey
Tim Jeffers says
Dear John, Jim and Family:
Just a short note to extend my sympathy to you both. I know your father’s health situation has been very difficult on everyone. John, I’m glad we had the opportunity to chat about your father before I left. I will keep the Joven Family in my prayers as you mourn his passing and celebrate his life.
What a tremendous legacy he has left…with his lovely family.
May God bless all the Jovens.
Tim
Dottie Norris says
I am very sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
William C Spencer says
We are truely sorry for your loss. No words are enough to express the sadness we felt and do feel for you and your families during a time like this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Bill, Michelle, Jonathan & Nathan Spencer
Mike Lisa Delaney says
To John, LInda and the entire Joven family,
Very sorry for your loss. You have been and will remain in our prayers. God Bless you all.
Matthew B Spencer says
As we celebrate his life, we can’t help but be saddened by your loss. We offer our deepest condolences and our warmest prayers to your whole family. God be with you.
Matt Spencer & Family
Mario Joven says
Do you know the parable of the mustard seed? Mark 4:30-32. ôWhat shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?ö asked Jesus. ôWhat parable shall we use to explain it? It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground. After a while it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It puts out such large branches that the birds come and make their nests in its shade.ö
My dad knew about growing things. In the sandy soil of Florida, or in the fickle weather of Indiana, he grew all sorts of exotic plants. He was a gardener. As a gardener, he had to have faith that this little seed with some nourishment and nurturing, would grow into a healthy plant.
He had to have faith as a young boy in the Philippines. He left home when he was fourteen. He didnÆt even have dirt in his pocket. All he had was his name: Jose Joven. He had to have faith, that he was leaving his home and family, for a better life. Dad was like the mustard seed.
Have you ever had mustard greens? TheyÆre a little stringy, and slightly bitter. Like spinach, but worse. Dad didnÆt always have the most refined social graces. But he did know how to take care of those around him. With a broad smile and a twinkling eye, he would say, ôWelcome to my hovel. Eat whatever I have. Drink with me, whatever I have. And donÆt worry about a thing.ö Whomever you were, you were a welcome bird in his branches.
One of his grandsons, Jose Michael (Pepe), wrote dad a letter while he was in the hospital. The letter read, ôThank you Lolo for coming to this country. If it werenÆt for you I wouldnÆt be here.ö
Can you imagine that my dad could survive, and thrive and grow in the harsh climate of this country. Not only that, but bear such abundant fruit, six children, fourteen grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and counting. And Jose Michael is right. But for this little mustard seed, and his welcoming branches, none of us would be here today. And as a father of a two week old baby, I am so grateful that he took a chance to come to this country.
So what can we draw from this life? What can we learn from Jose? Eat your vegetables? Big things come from small packages? How about this. With hope and faith and a little work, a lot of work, we prepare this world for the future. We are not only the mustard seeds, we are the gardeners. As my dadÆs branches grew, he also tended the garden for us, to let us all grow to our full potentials. Let us till the soil, nurture and take care of all those around us so that they may grow and thrive and live rich and abundant lives.
Mario Joven says
Do you know the parable of the mustard seed? Mark 4:30-32. ôWhat shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?ö asked Jesus. ôWhat parable shall we use to explain it? It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground. After a while it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It puts out such large branches that the birds come and make their nests in its shade.ö
My dad knew about growing things. In the sandy soil of Florida, or in the fickle weather of Indiana, he grew all sorts of exotic plants. He was a gardener. As a gardener, he had to have faith that this little seed with some nourishment and nurturing, would grow into a healthy plant.
He had to have faith as a young boy in the Philippines. He left home when he was fourteen. He didnÆt even have dirt in his pocket. All he had was his name: Jose Joven. He had to have faith, that he was leaving his home and family, for a better life. Dad was like the mustard seed.
Have you ever had mustard greens? TheyÆre a little stringy, and slightly bitter. Like spinach, but worse. Dad didnÆt always have the most refined social graces. But he did know how to take care of those around him. With a broad smile and a twinkling eye, he would say, ôWelcome to my hovel. Eat whatever I have. Drink with me, whatever I have. And donÆt worry about a thing.ö Whomever you were, you were a welcome bird in his branches.
One of his grandsons, Jose Michael (Pepe), wrote dad a letter while he was in the hospital. The letter read, ôThank you Lolo for coming to this country. If it werenÆt for you I wouldnÆt be here.ö
Can you imagine that my dad could survive, and thrive and grow in the harsh climate of this country. Not only that, but bear such abundant fruit, six children, fourteen grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and counting. And Jose Michael is right. But for this little mustard seed, and his welcoming branches, none of us would be here today. And as a father of a two week old baby, I am so grateful that he took a chance to come to this country.
So what can we draw from this life? What can we learn from Jose? Eat your vegetables? Big things come from small packages? How about this. With hope and faith and a little work, a lot of work, we prepare this world for the future. We are not only the mustard seeds, we are the gardeners. As my dadÆs branches grew, he also tended the garden for us, to let us all grow to our full potentials. Let us till the soil, nurture and take care of all those around us so that they may grow and thrive and live rich and abundant lives.
Maria Joson Kruse says
John and Joven Family,
We are saddened to hear of your loss. May you feel the love that surrounds you, the thoughts and prayers that are with you as you remember your father.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Maria Joson Kruse
Jose C Joven Hoz says
As we found our way through the nightmare that became my Fathers’ last days we also found love and support from those around us.
I have heard you cannot become a man until your Father dies. Yet today at 55 I am again a crying child reaching for his Daddy.
Robin Helmuth MD says
John–you are right–this is a wonderful tribute to a beloved man. Thanks for telling me about this being available on line. Robin
Becky Huskey says
Someday
Verse 1
I held his hand, I kissed his cheek
And though the days seemed, oh so bleak
I knew weÆd meet again someday, up in the sky
For as he lay upon his bed, he would gently bow his head
And we would pray to God above, hearts lifted high
Chorus:
IÆll say ôso longö to you Dad
But not goodbye and not so sad
For our Savior has prepared for us a place
And though youÆre absent from this world
I know youÆre present with our Lord
Someday IÆll see the two of you, face to face
Verse 2
CanÆt hold your hand nor kiss your cheek
And yes the days seem oh so bleak
I know weÆll meet again someday…up in the sky
Yes though our God has called you home
He gave you time to call Him Lord
I know IÆll see you someday…in the sweet by and by
Chorus:
The Millers says
Remember the good times and that he is no longer suffering and in heaven with The Lord!
Cindy McIntire Fulwider says
My love and prayers to Becky, Jose (Joe), and entire family. He was very blessed to have such a good and loving family!