Joseph G. Moreshead Jr.

OLD ORCHARD BEACH – Joseph G. Moreshead Jr., 87, of Old Orchard Beach, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025, during the early hours of the morning with his loving wife, Evelyn, at his side.

Joseph was born in Portland, to Joseph Gordon Moreshead and Ruth Briggs Moreshead on Feb. 19, 1938. He attended Portland elementary schools and Deering and Cheverus High Schools, earning his GED at a later date.

He began his lifelong career in the trucking industry at the age of 17. His first driving job was at Railway Express in Portland. Joe later joined the Teamsters Union and went to work at St. Johnsbury Trucking Company, where he worked his way up the ranks to become shop steward. He was especially proud of his one-million-mile award for safe driving, which he earned during his time at St. Johnsbury.

Joe left St. Johnsbury when he was elected as business agent for Teamsters Local 340 in South Portland. He served for two terms, representing 1,500 union members in the State of Maine.

Later in his career, Joe accepted the position of field representative with the New England Teamsters and Trucking Industry Pension Fund in Boston. He and his wife, Evelyn, moved to Peabody, Mass. They missed Maine and bought a travel trailer to set up at the Poland Spring Campground for the season, spending many happy days with friends and family during the summer months until Joe retired. He especially loved taking his grandchildren out fishing on Range Pond in his boat.

Joe loved his work. Whether it was driving a truck, working as a business agent, or as a field representative, he gave it his all and would do anything he could to help his fellow Teamsters.

After 34 years of service in the Teamsters Union, Joe took his retirement at the age of 60. After his retirement, he continued to attend meetings and picnics at Local 340 with his son, Peter.

Joe loved to travel. He was always ready to get on the road again or on a boat. His first trip after retirement was to take his travel trailer and Evelyn across the country to visit relatives in Ohio, Texas, and New Mexico, seeing America’s landmarks along the way and ending up in a Florida campground for the rest of the winter. Joe liked everything about Florida, playing golf with his friends, going to the casinos, and fishing. In the summer, he played golf with his sons and friends at local courses in Maine. Joe and his wife spent 10 winters in Sarasota, Fla.

Joe loved planning trips abroad and sharing memories of his adventures with friends and family. Some of his most memorable trips were to Montana to go snowmobiling with his son, Joe, and two friends in Yellowstone National Park; a fishing trip to Ontario, Canada, with friends from Poland Spring Campground; and a cruise to the Panama Canal with his beloved sister, Mary, and her husband, Chuck. He also had many happy memories of their visits to Maine and the trips that he and Evelyn made to Mary and Chuck’s cabin in Kentucky. In 1996, Joe organized a very successful Moreshead Family Gathering at Winslow Park in Freeport. He was delighted to see and talk with so many relatives, some of whom he was meeting for the very first time.

Joe was quite a storyteller, and at family gatherings, he always had a story to tell. During his later years, he liked to sit on his front porch in the afternoon, weather permitting, telling his stories to family and friends and listening to theirs.

Joe was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Agnes Holmes; his son, Michael Moreshead, his stepson, Anthony Renna; and his grandson, Anthony Renna Jr.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Evelyn; his sister, Mary Humphrey (Chuck) of Columbus, Ohio; his five children, all of Maine, Peter Moreshead (Colleen), Joseph Moreshead (Andrea), James Moreshead, Agnes Smith (Brian), and Stephanie Beal (Wayne); and his four stepchildren, Kimberley O’Connell (Patrick), Thomas Fox (Deborah), Chrisanne Harris (Randy), and Peter Renna (April). Joe is also survived by 26 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews, whom he was very proud of and loved dearly.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 5, from 2 to 5 p.m., at Hobbs Funeral Home, located at 671 U.S. Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074, for family and friends.

Condolences may be expressed online at http://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) or the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org).