Obituary: Joseph Robert Locher (1957-2025)

Jul 17

2 min read

Joe Locher, 68, formerly of Juneau, passed away at home in Seattle on Aug. 1, 2025. Born in Detroit in 1957, Joe relocated with his family to Juneau in his youth and graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School in 1975.

Always enterprising, Joe purchased his first house at 19, once he held jobs working for the U.S. Postal Service and the State of Alaska. Soon after, Joe attended Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Joe returned to Juneau and had many successes buying, fixing up and reselling cars and mobile homes, owning a residential development, construction and remodeling business, erecting a commercial building on Crazy Horse Drive, completing an economics degree at the University of Alaska Southeast, owning and managing rental real estate and a mobile home park, and regularly playing drums with local bands.

Joe’s other endeavors included working as a broadcast DJ for KJNO, sponsoring a local softball team, recording a rock and roll album, setting up a new FM radio station and, after relocating to Seattle in 1997, self-publishing two books, resuming piano studies, and inventing an efficient folding transport caddy for small-job construction work.

Joe was preceded in death by his brother David Locher in 1995, nephew Blake Sanford in 2004, nephew James Sanford-Locher in 2012, father William Locher in 2013, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and his former spouse Annette Thomas in 2018.

Joe is survived by his son, Tyler Locher of Juneau, mother, Olga Locher of Seattle, Aunt Bess Zivanovich of Toronto, brothers Paul and Steve (Georgia) of Seattle and Tom of Juneau, niece Venessa (Benedict) deLisle and nephews Phillip Hurd (Stephanie Underwood), Ross (Jacquelyn) Locher, and Jonny Locher, their children, and all of Joe’s Harris, Locher, Molnar, Dennany, Lovrensky and Jivanov cousins and their families. Joe’s family will hold a small, private remembrance gathering in 2026. Condolences may be mailed to Tyler at 3406 Glacier Highway, Apt. B7, Juneau, Alaska 99801.