Jerry Joe Jamison

Jerry Joe "Captain Joe" Jamison, 83, of Corydon, Indiana, and formerly of Beardstown, Illinois, passed away at 12:47 a.m. on Friday, July 15, 2022, in his home with his loving wife by his side.

He was born on March 23, 1939, in Beardstown, the son of Vernon Theodore and Ruth Leona (Anderson) Jamison. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, along with a sister in infancy and brother, Mike Jamison.

Joe graduated from Beardstown High School in 1957 and then continued on to McMurray State College for two years. He loved and cherished spending time with his family. Joe loved sports of all types, but golf was his favorite, and he was an avid golfer. He was a kind, distinguished person, who never met a stranger and was always respectful of others.

Survivors include his wife, Judith Jamison; his daughters, Pamela Lyons (Jeff) of Clinton, Illinois, Penny Sturdy (Dave) of Rochester, Illinois, and Patricia Nuding (Tad) of Rochester, Illinois; stepson, William Tucker (Rebecca) of New Albany, Indiana; stepdaughter, Stephanie Knepp (Justin) of Montgomery, Alabama; grandchildren, Gage, Geddy, Griffin, Courtney, Taylor, Andrew, Gwendolyn, Sophia, and Samuel; step-grandchildren, Rosalee, Hazel, Caiden, Annabella, and Paisley; and 10 great-grandchildren, with another on the way. Joe is also survived by sisters, Susan Hendricker of Mount Sterling, Illinois, and Linda Buck (Don) of Jerseyville, Illinois; sister-in-law, Bonnie Jamison of Springfield, Illinois; and many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews.

Joe has been working on the nation's waterways since he was 18. He once stated, "I don't have the river in my blood; it is my blood." He was a third-generation river man, who began his career in St. Louis and has held various positions over the years. In the mid-1990s, he supervised the construction of vessels for Par-A-Dice Riverboat Casino in Peoria, Illinois, Casino Rouge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Blue Chip Casino based in Michigan City, Indiana. He later held command of the Caesar's Glory of Rome in Elizabeth, Indiana, and the Miss Belterra in Florence, Indiana. For him, the challenging part of being on the river is that it constantly changed. He got to live his dream and pilot the Delta Queen, the Mississippi Queen, and the American Queen steamboats. As a riverboat captain, he stated that what he liked most was getting to meet so many interesting people. He was well-respected and admired among his peers and a mentor and friend to all who knew him. A legend of the waterways, his legacy will live on in the river industry through many miles on the rivers and the various special projects that he was an integral part of throughout his career. He loved and admired his river family.

A celebration of Joe's life will take place at the Elks Lodge (205 East 2nd Street, Beardstown, Illinois) on September 24, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

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