Joe Scarff

From childhood troublemaker to devoted husband, father, caregiver, and proud “Papa,” Joe Scarff lived a life full of humor, heart, and unforgettable moments. Both goofy and stubborn, Joe lived each moment to the fullest, encouraging others by example to trust their guts, do what’s right, and love each other. Though our days with Joe were far too few, we are better for every moment we shared with him. A cherished father, grandfather, brother, and friend, Joe will long be remembered and missed by those he so dearly loved.

Ted and Sonya Scarff welcomed their son, Joe, into their family on October 8, 1964. The youngest of four kids, Joe was not just the “baby” of the family; he was a rambunctious troublemaker who would always find something fun to do. He was guilty of taking the family car for a joyride, and his favorite party to throw when his parents were out of town was a toga party. Growing up, Joe also witnessed his parents’ hard work and dedication to their family. His mother was a nurse, and his father was an aerospace engineer at Parker Hannifin Aerospace in Kalamazoo.

After graduating from high school at Portage Northern, Joe started his college education at Ferris State University, Joe had the good fortune to meet the love of his life, Rebecca (Becky) Stewart. The couple began dating and later transferred to The Ohio State University. They became lifelong OSU fans, watching games and screaming at the TV for the big wins!

While Joe earned his bachelor’s degree in business, Becky earned her degree in pharmacology. With their degrees in hand, the happy couple returned to Michigan so that Joe could work with his father at Parker Hannifin, and Rebecca started her career at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Battle Creek. They married on September 16, 1989.

Joe and Rebecca moved into their first house, a little cottage on the east side of Gull Lake in Richland. It was here that they became parents, welcoming their son, Benton. As their family grew and they needed more space, they moved to their second home near Richland Elementary School. Their joy grew with the births of their daughter, Kyle, and son, Drew.

The day after Drew was born, Becky was diagnosed with brain cancer. Unwilling to let the diagnosis dash their joy, Joe stepped in to be the caregiver for Rebecca and the kids. Over the next 16 years, Joe and Becky focused on providing their children with loving, supportive childhoods rich in treasured memories.

The family has many amazing memories traveling to Gulf Shores, exploring SeaWorld, visiting Goshen, Indiana, taking many camping trips, and going for ice cream at The Ice House. Joe also loved fishing, morel mushroom hunting, and camping in the UP.

Joe was fantastic about being fully present, and his terrific sense of humor, which kept life light, inspired many pranks on his kids. He fondly gifted Drew his nickname. Wearing a Blue’s Clues costume backwards with the tail facing the front, Drew proudly exclaimed that he was “Woody!” The nickname stuck. Benton remembers the camping trip when Joe bought a wolf-head hat to scare the kids during a late-night trail hike. When Joe jumped out of the bushes wearing it, Benton was badly frightened. When Kyle had sleepovers, Joe liked to embarrass her by performing like he was on American Idol for her friends.

Joe was also a go-with-the-flow, relaxed man with a lot of patience. When the boys got in trouble at school, they knew if the school called their dad instead of their mom, they’d get off quite a bit easier. Joe was a great cook. He also enjoyed baking and entertaining. The family loved his chicken divan, smoked salmon, and porcupine meatballs. Joe’s favorite meal of pork and sauerkraut was not a fan favorite with any of his kids. As Joe was the family’s own Rachael Ray, Becky honored his love for Rachael Ray by giving him a Rachael Ray cookbook, complete with the chef’s autograph—even though it was actually Rebecca who signed it.

After Becky died in 2012, Joe retired early. He relished spending more time with his family and enthusiastically embraced his role as proud Papa to his grandson, Stewart Joseph. When he babysat, they liked to throw the ball together, and Papa gave Stewart things to do “for fun,” like taking a bucket outside to pick up rocks. There’s no doubt that if Becky were still here, she’d say, “Look at the family we built, and look at how it’s grown!”

Joe continued to love going to football games, eating good food, golfing, watching football or the Food Network, sipping a vodka tonic with a lime twist, and hanging out with his very well-fed beagle, Rudy. He’ll long be remembered for his goofy, classic “Be cool, man, be cool” and “Be nice” phrases, and for the bumper stickers that said as much. He will also be remembered for loving his neighbors and, at family gatherings, honoring them with his Irish goodbye: when he was ready to go, he would just go.

As we celebrate Joe’s life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying his legacy of love, laughter, and devotion forward. In each moment we lead with our hearts, confidently face life’s challenges, choose to be kind, share a great meal and belly laughs, cheer on the Ohio State Buckeyes, and support our loved ones’ hopes and dreams, we keep Joe’s memory alive and inspire others as he inspired each of us.

Joe Scarff of Kalamazoo, age 61, died on March 11, 2026. Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Rebecca, and his parents, Ted and Sonya Scarff. Surviving are his children: Benton Scarff, Kyle Scarff, and Drew Scarff; grandson, Stewart; siblings: Matthew (Colleen) Scarff and Sarah (Joe) Curry; and many nieces and nephews.

Please join us at a Life Story Service on Saturday, March 28, at 11 AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center, where food, drinks, and stories can be shared. Celebrate Joe’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.