Joseph Dosen

Holding the hand of his wife of 50 years, Joseph Dosen, aged 81, passed gently into the arms of Jesus on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Born to Croatian immigrant parents in Hamtramck, Michigan, Joe was an incredibly grateful American and patriot. When drafted during the Vietnam War, he proudly joined the United States Marine Corps because its recruitment line was the shortest and he was an impatient man. It was in basic training at Parris Island, SC that Joe understood why the USMC line had no other enlistees and about the virtue of patience, and where he earned a memorable lesson on why recruits should never attempt to swat at sand fleas while at attention in the presence of a Marines drill instructor.

After serving his country, Joe went on to serve his local community as a Detroit Police Officer, and in retirement as a Penobscot County Deputy Sheriff. In his 40+ years of service, had a storied career. The pride of his time was working as a farrier Detroit Mounted Police Division stables.  His horse, Bradley, once made his way from the city stables to a backyard of delighted neighborhood children—coincidentally Joe's own backyard—for a day of rides and photos. As the lone responder at a burglary scene, his knack for animal whispering charmed two trained attack Bouviers des Flandres dogs into a state of submissive affection. He survived assault when on crowd control duty on horseback in the heart of the 1984 MLB World Series riots.  As a savvy and naturally streetwise officer, Joe's law enforcement style, unique and proprietary means of conflict resolution, and incredible reenactments and impersonations will forever humor, captivate, and entertain his friends. The city had a true-blue servant.

Joe's military and law enforcement service were great accomplishments in the story of his life.  However, it was getting a ‘yes’ answer to his marriage proposal to fellow Detroit Police Officer Linda Francis that was his greatest triumph. Together Joe and Lin spent their next fifty years of life and raised their three children of whom Joe was exceedingly proud: Loran, Michael, and Paul. As a family they sledded and ice-skated in Michigan winters, and in summers rode bikes, picked berries, and searched for beaver dams near their northern Michigan cabin together.  The couple’sperseverance in marriage rewarded them with a full spectrum of life trials and bliss and everything in-between—but always blessings, and always great love.  

Joe’s other loves were his lake cabin, vintage Corvettes, country music, and Detroit Lions and Michigan football.  He could find a four-leaf clover in any clover patch within minutes, made incredible French crepes and hot barbecue sauce, and was a masterful joke teller of inappropriate jokes at inappropriate times when in mixed company.  He could build and repair things and did crossword puzzles in pen. His family expects that he is in his celestial home as he was in life, at a kitchen table getting brutally defeated by two elderly Lebanese women at Gin Rummy.    

Joe's life story and force of personality could never be illustrated in a few paragraphs—especially not by those who knew him well—but he would be happy to be reduced to being known as a man who always had a photo of his wife and kids closely kept in his pocket every day of his life.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Marko and Marija, his brother John, sisters Anna and Emma, beloved dog Mitzi, and a wall-mounted deer in a downtown Detroit bar which he dispatched in an off-duty betting incident. He is survived and will be missed deeply by his wife Linda, couch-mate dachshund Klaus, children Loran, Michael [Ann],and Paul, and his much adored legacy, his grandchildren Mickey, Henry, Barrett, Penelope, and fifth grandchild (expected late 2024).

A funeral Mass in celebration of his colorful and blessed life is being planned for a later date in 2024.