Show r Professor Creates Lifelong History I ar a 6 si a b p r 4 r 1 1 lt j R I. I x- x x- x r J 7 Y w 1 wit e y I Horizon photo Ed Lie Uncle Joe speaks to one of his classes at the Sandy Center His passion for the subject is one reason his students enjoy his teaching Uncle Joe Celebrates His Birthday JC Lorraine Del Amor Staff Writer AMERICAN history is rooted deep in the heart of History Professor sor Joseph Wood Uncle Joe as he prefers to be called celebrates his birthday Thursday May 11 This quarter he is teaching ng a course in Utah history and one in American Civilization His age has let him see seea a lot of the l history story that he teaches Now in l his s sixth year of teaching ng ngat at Uncle Joe is well known at atthe atthe atthe the Sandy Center Campus Many students who have taken classes from nom Uncle Joe agree he has brought sincere warmth sociable charm chann and cheerful enthusiasm into the Sandy Center everyday My whole experience with teaching and working with the wonderful wonderful wonderful won won- folks at has been most pleasant and satisfying Uncle Joe said He projects an idealistic personality personality personality per per- with magnetic charisma that allows students not only to see him as a leader but also as one who cares Uncle Joe is an obvious figure of authority and his appearance commands re re- re- re Yet he quickly reaches the hearts of his students with sincere compliments touches of humor and his twinkling eye smiles i v vT T T is known as an evolving traditional non-traditional college and Uncle Joe is definitely a traditional non-traditional individual He switched from one major career to another For 27 years he was a certified public accountant accountant accountant ac ac- ac- ac countant with the Utah Idaho Sugar ugar Company However this did not satisfy his sweet tooth for American history At age 49 Uncle Joe revived l his s passion for the subject by taking taking taking tak tak- tak- tak ing classes during his lunch hour and evenings His love lov for learning had his affections for history aroused Inside this practical seemingly solid man there existed a romantic dreamer who managed to finally get out Kissing his career as a CPA goodbye Uncle Joe took the necessary necessary necessary sary steps towards obtaining his doctorate and teaching I kept feeling that I had another another another an an- other job to do in this world A strong desire to teach history just kept pushing at me to fulfill my y original college dreams Uncle Joe said I have an admiration for older students who return to school after pursuing other careers raising families and walking other paths The name Uncle Joe came about when two nieces were in his Utah History class at BYU Before the semester was over the entire class also called him Uncle JoeI JoeI Joe I 1 kept feeling that 1 I had another job to do doin doin doin in this world A strong desire to teach history just kept pushing at me to fulfill my original college dreams Joseph Wood History Professor Uncle Joe brings an immediate sense of relationship to all who know him A natural leader Uncle Joe has hasa a talent for inspiring people to do their best and continues to excel as asa asa asa a group leader and teacher He begins begins begins be be- gins his classes each day with stories stories stories sto sto- ries of his greatest love people The stories are enlightened with sentimental values which he calls Many of these stories come from a book he wrote entitled entitled entitled You Can Say That Again His book written in first person exemplifies his fondness for others through his warm thoughts and emotions Uncle Joes Joe's stories demonstrate that he can be reached through his heart as much as he expresses expresses expresses ex ex- ex- ex presses his desire to reach others through theirs Uncle Joe uses golden threads of American history history history his his- tory woven throughout the books book's pages to draw a picture both personal personal personal per per- and factual It is this way two-way vision that Uncle Joe also brings into his classroom and opens history up for his students It is a quality that many who have taken his class remember remember re member him for Uncle Joes Joe's greatest strength reo resides resides re re- re- re o sides in his tenacity and steady re relentless relentless relentless re- re drive This was tested when at age 54 he suffered a a I a stroke wh while le playing tennis The stroke caused by an inoperable blood clot rendered him totally speechless He had to learn tore much of his walking and all of hi his talking His new teaching career at BYU was temporarily halted His immediate reaction to a problem is to confront it rather than sit around moping about it A positive positive positive tive robust vigor for living is augmented augmented augmented aug aug- with his stability and loo trouble the attitude about life He handled the stroke the same way After eight months of therapy and determination Uncle Joe re returned returned returned re- re turned to his beloved students Although Although Although Al Al- though left with some apparent physical impairments his wit and wisdom was untouched by the stroke His eloquent articulate voice still can be heard beyond the classroom door After 18 years at BYU I was patted on the back and encouraged to go Uncle Joe said I didn't want to retire but President Oaks passed this rule about retirement at 65 and I was already 71 I tried it for a while but was so restless my wife encouraged me to go over to at Redwood to see if they could coul l use me According to Uncle Joe working working working work work- ing at is the pe perfect recipe r for health An avid sports fan Uncle Joe still participates in some activities To stay physically fit he begins each week at the Deseret Gym With an another other year old friend frien he plays two sets of racquet ball Then he swims 12 laps and tops off with the hot tub and sauna 11 This s contributes to his resource of optimism and energy en ergy upon which others can draw j Uncle Joe makes his home in Sugarhouse When he purchased the lot for in 1940 the previous owner told him that the tree on his lot was more than 50 years ol old Today it has been around for mo more more than a century The tree leans to one side and its trunk is knotted with age It ha has weathered many storms and always put forth new leaves in spring Its It's greatest strength also resides in its tenacity and steady relentless drive Like Uncle Joe who's who name is the substance of the tree it itis itis itis is deeply rooted in American soil knowing its history well |