Joseph Martin Jewell

Joseph Martin “Joe” Jewell, of Centreville, MD, passed peacefully away at his home on August 24, 2025, he was 87 years old. He was born on September 1, 1937, to the late Walter and Hilda (Parks) Jewell, in Queenstown, Maryland. He lived in Grasonville and Queenstown and attended Queen Anne’s County Public Schools. He was raised with his three brothers, Franklin, Roy, and Donny. He left high school and joined the United States Marine Corps in 1955. He managed the aviation warehouse in Okinawa, Japan where they stored various parts for the Sikorsky H-19 (“Chickasaw”) and the Sikorsky H-34 (“Choctaw”) helicopters. He served until 1958 and achieved the rank of Sergeant. He loved the Marine Corps and regretted not serving longer. However, he fell in love and went the family route. He met Margaret June “June” LeMay at Holly’s Restaurant in Grasonville. Joe rowed his boat to her house a few days later to see her; her father tried to chase him away. Joe remained persistent and they courted and eventually eloped to Asbury United Methodist Church in Annapolis in 1962. Joe worked in construction in Washington D.C. He carpooled with the crew daily. He bragged that when his first child was born in 1963, Kimberly Ann, he hitchhiked from D.C. to the hospital in Easton. He made it in 1 ½ hours, getting three rides! The couple moved to Dundalk, where Joe worked at Bethlehem Steel. Jeffrey Martin, was born in 1967. He was born in the hospital elevator, because Joe had to finish his supper. Anyone who knew Joe knew that he was a slow eater, plus he did not want to miss out on dessert. In 1973, they moved to their current home near Centreville. Joe worked at his in-law’s business in Queenstown, LeMay’s Welding. He often made repairs high up in the air on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. He eventually operated his own welding business from his home, Joe’s Welding. Occasionally he could be found helping his wife with her business, the Red Hat Depot in the Amish Market in Easton. Joe loved soccer and played full back on the Centreville men’s soccer team in the Eastern Shore Men’s league. He enjoyed camping with his family and traveled all over. The family even camped through Hurricane Agnes in 1972 on Assateague Island State Park. Joe ran all over the campground that night in his rain suit helping other campers collapse their tents and pop-up campers. June, Kim and Jeff rocked all night long in their Oldsmobile station wagon. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, June, his parents Walter Franklin and Hilda Mae (Parks) Jewell, and brothers Roy and Donny Jewell. Joe is survived by his daughter Kimberly Hoxter (Keith), and son, Jeffrey Jewell (Natalie). He was a loving Pop-pop to two grandsons, Nathan Hoxter (Erin) and Nicholas Hoxter (Lauren) and three great-grandsons, Finn, Shane, and Reid Hoxter. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home in Centreville, MD. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Memorial in Easton. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in memory of Joe to Best Friends Animal Society, www.bestfriends.org.

Joseph Martin Jewell

September 1, 1937 - August 24, 2025