Joe VerVer, better known to Ganado as Mister Joe, turned 91 last Friday. He’s known for being a 30-year volunteer with the Ganado Volunteer Fire Department, and has directed parking at the Ganado football stadium for as many years, and being honored by the fire department for that work.
“At first, to be in the fire department, you had to live in the city, but when it moved to the country, that’s when I got in, in 1995,” he said.
His daughter, Sylvia VerVer Rodriguez, recalled when he received the Fireman of the Year award. “When they gave it to him they said he can always be depended on, whether it was raining, sleeting or snowing,” she said. “He’s always dressed in his uniform to a tee, and if it’s raining, he has a little cap covering his hat.
But he’d still be there.”
Several of his biggest achievements have been with the Knights of Columbus, as a member of the Assumption Catholic Church in Ganado. Currently he is Knight/Dame of the Pontifical Equestrian of St. Gregory the Great, and the honor was bestowed by Pope Francis in 2024.
“I was a third degree knight, and then fourth degree, where we attend Confirmation at masses…I usually attend around 26 Confirmations a year,” VerVer said. “I travel a lot because of it, for 40 years I have.”
He recalled when he was named as a Knight of St. Gregory. In 2023 a priest told him he was going to nominate VerVer, but VerVer didn’t realize what he meant.
“I thought I was getting a medal for all the confirmations I’d been going to, I wasn’t sure how it all worked,” he said. “Then the priest had me speak to a bishop, who asked me a bunch of questions.”
Seven months later, a bishop came to visit, VerVer recalls being dressed in full uniform to pay his respect to the bishop, and they told him the pope at the time accepted him as a Knight of St. Gregory.
“My dad earned that not just because of the work he’s done with the church, but for anybody in Ganado and the county,” Sylvia said. “He’s up at six every morning, he follows a routine and volunteers in everything he can.”
It’s clear giving back is one component of living a long life, not to mention staying in motion. VerVer moves with the smoothness of someone 30 years younger than him.
Another reason might be the work he’s done with the Skalicky family over the years. As one to never stop, he’s helped several family members over the years work on crops and cattle, and is still employed by them.
VerVer is most proud of his three brothers who served in the military. Indalecio, who was a pilot in the Army, and the first Hispanic pilot from the county in WWII. Paulino, who served in the Army Korean War, and his third brother were in the Army and stationed in Germany.
Son of Fermin and Otilia Dovalina VerVer, Joe’s wife was Delia VerVer, they were married 44 years, and had two children, Sylvia and Reynaldo, who has passed. He’s proud of his grandson, three great-grandchildren, and son-in-law, Daniel Rodriguez.
“It’s by the grace of God that I’m still alive and going,” VerVer said. “He is the reason why I’m able to move around so much at this age. Say thanks to God because he’s the one who gives you life.”
