It is a sad day, we have lost a great guy, GOD has taken JoeDarlington from this earth

Lorenzo816 said:
Thanks Doug for posting over here.
For those that didn't get to meet Joe D, he really was the straight up kind of guy that you wanted to know.
He made everything around him that much cooler.
He was one of the nicest people I knew. All of us in the Zu community owe him a lot. Its unthinkable the amount of people that just knew Joe.... and he helped all of them!
This is all just too soon.

really sucks I was looking forward to seeing him in a few weeks. Goes to show, people say "do it now, before its too late" is so true.
You never know what is going to happen.
Joe seemed fine last time I saw him. Cancer was gone but he wasn't eating well and hadn't got his weight back.
I know you're up there in the big blue sky with Scott, Mark, Nick and your fur babies wheelin on God's trails right now.


Jimmy, I'll try to keep you posted. We have a few people near him keeping in touch with his friends and family.
This really stinks.

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did he pass away here in Goldsboro? I can't find anything here local.
 
RIP Joe, he was a good guy and an awesome fabricator. The last thing I got from him was this bumper for my wife's Amigo.

winch installed (2).jpeg
 
To Rob's point...when I read this last night so many memories and emotions hit.

But one thing sticks out in my mind that was textbook Joe. I hope sharing this will bring a smnile to those that knew him.

At one of the earlier ECORS races. Joe had had a tough day. I dont remember the specifics, as a promoter we would be running too many different directions and youd just hear rumblings or rumors that so and so broke or might not get to race or whatever.
We were in the middle of whatever major crisis threatened to shut the whole show down that second and Rob and I were stressed to the absolute max. I remember looking up and Joe was walking towards us and I remember, selfishly thinking, 'I really dont have time for another problem.' Knowing that he was having vehicle issues of his own.

But Joe walked right up in the quiet unassuming way of his and said 'Can I pull you aside for a moment?'...and he and I walked off a few feet. He said (Im paraphrasing here) 'Look dude. Keep your head up. You guys are doing a great job. It could be a lot worse. Let me know how I can help.' And I remember he kind of slapped/patted me on the back and then just kind of went on towards whatever he was set off to do at that moment.

It just kind of stuck with me how he went out of his way to say that. Everytime I think of Joe...thats what comes to mind.
 
Joe was a major presence in the Isuzu offroad world when I first started learning about and tinkering on these things in the early 00s. I knew of him before I met him in person. When I did first meet him in person, it was at an Isuzu run at Uwharrie. The night I arrive, I head out with the pack and instantly break a CV in my 86 trooper, I mean very first trail. I don't really know anyone there, just rolled up with a buddy. We thought we were gonna spend the next day tracking down parts and fixing it at the campsite. But the next day, Joe invited me to ride shotgun in his SAS rodeo all day. He offered to let me drive. He spotted everyone, he helped everyone who needed help - guy was just in his element. It made a big impression on me about what 4wheeling is all about and how a day on the trail, no matter how much breakage or glory, can be fun and mostly frustration free, with the right attitude.

Thanks Joe, for all you did, for being the example a lot of us needed, and for just being a great dude.

RIP Joe.
 
Ron said:
But Joe walked right up in the quiet unassuming way of his and said 'Can I pull you aside for a moment?'...and he and I walked off a few feet. He said (Im paraphrasing here) 'Look dude. Keep your head up. You guys are doing a great job. It could be a lot worse. Let me know how I can help.' And I remember he kind of slapped/patted me on the back and then just kind of went on towards whatever he was set off to do at that moment..
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that is Joe right there. ^^^
And Paul is right. One of the reasons why I help everyone on the trail, fix whatever and try to stay level headed is because Joe set that example for all of us.
You can have the best time even on a bad day.


Thanks Jimmy for finding where he was.
All I know from other friends is that one of his friends talked to him on Tuesday, then Wednesday went over to his house and found him there....
The dogs are going to an Aussie shepherd group except Hitch who is going with one of the Zu guys.
I know those dogs meant the world to Joe. He was doing more with training those dogs and contributing to their community in these last few years than the 4x4 stuff.
There is a whole 'nother group of people out there beyond us offroaders that have Joe to admire as simply being a good steward and community citizen.
 
Joe's funeral arrangements or whatever the family wants to do is not known yet.
When I hear from people really close to the situation, I'll post up details.
 
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