Joseph “Joe” Pells, a lifelong Denver resident and beloved volunteer, passed away on August 31, 2025, at the age of 97.
Mr. Pells was born in Denver on March 9, 1928. He grew up in a family for whom service was paramount: his father, Harry J. Pells, served in multiple branches of the US armed forces (Army, Marines, Army Air Corps, and later the US Air Force), and later served both is clients and his community as a volunteer. Inspired by his father, Joe entered the Army Air Corps after WW II, and was in when it transitioned into the US Air Force in 1947. Stationed in Japan after the war, he worked in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) office. In a twist of fate, during the Korean conflict, paperwork errors apparently led to Joe being reassigned as a truck mechanic — a story he always recounted with good humor.
After his military service, Joe attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating in 1953. While at CU, he was a member of Phi Sigma Delta (Phi Sig) fraternity. The friendships he forged at the Phi Sig house endured throughout his life; even in his last years, those bonds remained important, and one of his fraternity brothers outlived him.
Following college, Joe joined his father’s business, the Harry J. Pells Insurance Agency, and remained there until his retirement in 2014 — over six decades of service in the insurance field. Over those years, he earned a reputation for his friendly, positive, and supportive attitude among clients and colleagues alike.
But equally important to Joe was his heartfelt commitment to volunteerism, especially within the Jewish community in Denver. He served on the board and was president of the Denver JCC, and in the 1970s chaired the committee overseeing the redesign of the facility. He was active with the Allied Jewish Federation (now JEWISHcolorado), serving on the board and as president, and played a key role in the formation of CAJE (Colorado Agency for Jewish Education). He also helped select the first executive director of Jewish Family Service (JFS), shaping the social care landscape in Denver.
In later years, Joe took on regular ongoing volunteer work with AARP, particularly in their fraud alert program, calling and alerting members to scams targeting seniors. His dedication and spirit did not go unnoticed — he was recognized (by Channel 9’s Nine Who Care program) for his service and outreach.
Joe is survived by his children Mark (Allie) Pells, Andy (Mimi) Pells, and Penny Pells; grandchildren Zac (Alexis) Pells, Claire Pells, Tuvi Pells (z”l), Levi Pells, Ben (Inez) Pells, J.D. Pells, Emily Pells (z”l), Ari Lipsitz, Asher Lipsitz, and Aaron (Maddy) Lipsitz; and great-grandchildren Eliezer, Eliana, and Eliza Pells.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise K. Pells.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at BMH-BJ Congregation in Denver, followed by interment at Mount Nebo Cemetery in Aurora, Colo.
Paid obituary, prepared by the family.
