Joseph D. Poisel, 75, of Burlington, died Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City.
Born on April 10, 1951, in Chicago, Ill., he was the son of James and Nancy Keith Poisel. On October 20, 1984, in Burlington, he married Diane Roche.
Joe was an athlete and an avid exerciser, spending many hours at the YMCA. He loved basketball and was known for talking smack, and for his left hook (on the basketball court). He also enjoyed watching the Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs. For thirty years (1995-2025) Joe and his daughter Natalie had a tradition of watching every Super Bowl football game together. He was also a talented pool player and chess player.
He had an intensely curious and hands-on mind. He loved puzzles, unusual gadgets, computers, and anything that gave him a problem to solve. He was a Rubik’s Cube wizard and carried a little bag of puzzles with him almost everywhere, including to the bar. Long before it was commonplace, he was running Linux, rebuilding his own computers and operating systems, and figuring out how things worked simply for the joy of it. Joe could build or repair almost anything and spent many hours at his basement workbench or in the garage surrounded by his extensive collection of tools. His children learned that no family outing was complete without at least one stop at Menards.
Joe also had a deeply artistic side. He was a self-taught and excellent classical guitar player and had an eclectic taste in music. Recently Joe taught himself to play the banjo. He loved to introduce others to the music he loved, including The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Jethro Tull’s Aqualung, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Moody Blues and many lesser-known singer-songwriters. He remained open to new artistic developments, listening to independent and alternative music throughout his life. He genuinely enjoyed spending time with his children, watching movies and musicals nearly every night, and went to see his favorite*, Les Misérables* in person. His taste in television was also varied, from Mork and Mindy, to The Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, and The Simpsons to Korean sitcoms. He was never particularly interested in sticking to what was ordinary or expected. Joe was a voracious reader and loved the library. He regularly checked out books every two weeks.
He also had a wonderfully eccentric way of doing things. He is remembered by many for his habit of organizing his Skittles by color before eating them and had an almost legendary love of hotdogs, so much so that at one office birthday celebration, his coworkers put candles in a hotdog instead of a cake. He had an appreciation for mental challenges, whether it was a gadget, a puzzle, a computer, a movie, or a piece of music.
Through Joe’s upbringing, he learned many vital lessons that molded and developed him into being a person who believed in serving others, especially children in need. He worked as a counselor in a halfway house and then as a probation officer for the 8th Judicial District, where he spent most of his career. After thirty-three years, Joe decided it was time to retire. Joe was deeply loved by the people he worked with. Many former parolees of his still remark to his family that they remember him fondly, sometimes over two decades afterward. That says something about him. He made an impression on people.
He was always unmistakably himself. He was intelligent, eccentric, artistic, curious, funny, stubborn, and endlessly interested in the world around him. Joe was known for being exceptionally even-keeled and had a mind and a personality all his own, leaving an impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years: Diane; four children: Aaron Poisel of Iowa City, Sarah Poisel of Cedar Rapids, Emily (Adam) Underwood of Washington, and Natalie (David) Vahle of Coralville; five grandchildren: Jordan, Mason, Hayden, Avery and Oliver; six siblings: Richard Poisel, Jean Kruser, Ann Speck, Stephen Poisel, Scott Poisel, and Jeff Poisel. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews and his precious dog Jackie.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son Nathan Poisel; grandson Brandon Poisel; granddaughter: Olivia Vahle; brother Thomas Poisel and his most beloved dog Abby.
Per his wishes cremation has been entrusted and accorded to the care of Lunning Chapel.
A celebration of Joe's life will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, August 29, 2026, at The Paddlewheel Lounge, located at 613 Jefferson St., Burlington, Iowa. A time of sharing with family and friends will be held at 2:00 p.m.
Memorials have been established in his memory for the Des Moines County Humane Society and Friends of the Burlington Public Library.