Joseph Patrick Crippes, 21, Aledo, TX

November 12, 1999 - December 3, 2020

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at Christ Our Light Catholic Church in Zimmerman, MN, for Joseph Patrick Crippes, age 21 of Aledo, TX, who passed away unexpectedly on December 3, 2020. Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 PM on Monday, December 14, at the church with a Reflection Service at 5:30 PM and also one hour prior to the Mass on Tuesday at the church. Burial will be in St. Pius Catholic Cemetery, Zimmerman.

Joe was born on November 12, 1999, in St. Louis Park, MN, to Tom and Kori (Pottratz) Crippes. He attended school in the Elk River ISD and Fridley ISD until 2015 when his family moved to Aledo, TX. Joe graduated from Aledo High School in 2018 and had plans to join the military, but those plans were not meant to be. He loved lifting weights and working out, which became a passion for him for several years, earning him the nickname “Big Joe.” His fishing exploits, Lego building, and “Call of Duty” skills were legendary. Joe was very quiet but had a wonderful sense of humor and common sense that made him wise beyond his years. When he heard that there was a proposal for “free college,” his response was, “Why would I want to spend the rest of my life paying for everyone else’s college; why can’t they just pay for their own college if they want to go like I will?” Joe was painfully shy but often served as an altar boy and lector at Christ Our Light Catholic Church in Princeton/Zimmerman, MN.

Joe had a big heart and was loved by all who knew him. He will be missed terribly by his family and friends who will forever remember his smirk and contagious laugh. Joe was always on the move, his mind was always working, and he recently took great interest in the stock market and spent hours researching companies and learning how to invest his money. There was never a dull moment when Joe was around!

There is always an aching sadness for family and friends left behind when a life is cut short. So much potential is lost: future plans, career, marriage, and family. This is most definitely the case with Joe. Remember to love and cherish everyone in your life and make sure they know how you feel, as you never know when they will be called home to the Father.

Joe is survived by his parents, Tom and Kori of Aledo, TX; sister, Rachael of Elk River, MN; brother, Jacob (Jacqui) of Okinawa, Japan; sister, Paige of Aledo, TX; grandmother, Patricia Pottratz of Zimmerman, MN; and grandparents, Lloyd and Judy Pottratz of Davenport, IA. There are aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends all over the Midwest who loved him dearly. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Gib and Eunice Crippes.

Memorials, in Joe’s name, are preferred and appreciated to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Checks may be mailed to Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, P.O. Box 64348, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0348 or donations may be made online at www.hazeldenbettyford.org/donate. Recovery Advocacy, Medical Education, and the Graduate Program Studies are some suggestions for your donation.