Obituary of Joseph H. Mugartegui

Joseph Harvey Mugartegui Surrounded by his loving family, Joseph Harvey Mugartegui, “Joe”, passed on to a better place on Sunday, October 25th, 2009. Joe, a tall lanky man with a kind heart, a gentle manner, and a sharp wit, was born on March 11, 1924 in Elko, Nevada. His proud parents were Lorenzo and WillaMae Mugartegui. While stationed in the US Army at Fort Lewis during WWII, Joe met his wife of 64 Years, Virginia. Joe was a very likeable man, a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He is survived by a large family, including his wife, Virginia Bench Mugartegui; son, Craig Mugartegui (Sandy); daughters, Charlotte Persoon (Gerald), and Kathryn Mugartegui; brothers, Leroy “Bud” Ward and Larry Mugartegui (Louise); 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. After the Army, Joe, a loyal and dependable employee, worked at the Olympia Brewery for 27 years, while at the same time opening one of the first health food stores in Thurston County in 1986, JVee Health Foods. Joe and Virginia later opened Smart Nutrition in Tumwater, which is still in operation today. Joe made many friends in the health food business and was honored, along with his wife, in 2006, by the health food industry, for their significant contributions in Washington State. To honor Joe’s wishes, please consider sending flowers to a special person in your life, or a donation to one of the groups listed below. Joe’s passion was to help folks lead a healthier life by providing nutritional supplements and information specific to their nutritional needs. vitaminangels.org – a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization focused on bringing nutrition to children around the world through vitamin supplementation. Bastyr University, Seattle, Scholarship fund for naturopathic physicians. Contact email: development@bastyr.edu A private family military memorial will be held at a later date. You may leave memories of Joseph and condolences for the family by clicking on "View Guestbook" below.