Joe Knox Cursey went to be with his Heavenly Father on August 26, 2022. He passed away peacefully at
home in Ripon, California, with his family by his side. He was 83 years old.
Joe was born in San Francisco, California, on April 26, 1939, to parents Joe Knox and Hallie L. Cursey. Joe graduated from Chico High School in 1957 and attended Chico State University before joining the U.S. Air Force where he was stationed in Texas and Travis Air Force Base, California. Joe’s professional career began at California State Automobile Association. He traveled to various offices in Nevada and Northern California including the San Francisco Bay Area where he eventually met his future wife, Bonnie. During his 35 years of employment, Joe never met a stranger and will always be remembered for his kindness, sense of humor, and a smile. He retired from CSAA in 1998.
Joe was extremely athletic and an avid sports fan. He was devoted to following his favorite teams and was especially fond of cheering on the local athletes at Ripon High School. He found his passion for playing team sports in high school, for boxing while in the USAF, and in the early 1970’s he discovered cycling – first road followed by mountain biking. Joe was a member of the Stockton and Manteca Bicycle Clubs. He spent countless hours and covered
hundreds of miles pedaling one of his four favorite bikes throughout the Central Valley. He particularly
enjoyed riding in the Sierra Mountains and continually challenged himself by entering local races and
Century (100 mile) rides. After retirement, he accomplished his goal of riding across the Colorado
Rockies, however, his favorite route was riding through the streets of Ripon to see who he could run
into for a friendly conversation.
Joe will be dearly missed by his wife, Bonnie; and his two children, daughter Holly Cursey of Gilbert, Arizona and son Scott (Nicole) Cursey of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, and his three grandchildren, Jyllian Searcy, Rylee Searcy and Reef Cursey. Joe also leaves behind many friends, especially those from his “Coffee Klatch” gatherings and his church family at the Ripon Free Methodist Church where he was deeply
rooted in his faith as a member.
Joe’s life will be celebrated privately with much love and deep respect by his family, per his final wishes.
Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Friday, September 16, 2022
