October 07, 2024
Features | Herald-News

'Because of Joe, we will achieve more'

Joliet man's faith guided his works

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
"If you believe in the good Lord then we have to be of service., "a smiling Joe said in the video. "And housing is not a luxury - it's justice - what it's all about. So in that way, we're just following the rules." Ironically, as a father, Joe didn't push "rules" as much as pushed "morals," said Dan Adler of New Lenox, one of Joe's six children. But Joe did live by a precept he acquired from his participation in the Young Christian Workers during the years he attended Notre Dame University in Indiana.

"If you believe in the good Lord then we have to be of service., "a smiling Joe said in the video. "And housing is not a luxury - it's justice - what it's all about. So in that way, we're just following the rules." Ironically, as a father, Joe didn't push "rules" as much as pushed "morals," said Dan Adler of New Lenox, one of Joe's six children. But Joe did live by a precept he acquired from his participation in the Young Christian Workers during the years he attended Notre Dame University in Indiana.

"If you believe in the good Lord then we have to be of service., "a smiling Joe said in the video. "And housing is not a luxury - it's justice - what it's all about. So in that way, we're just following the rules." Ironically, as a father, Joe didn't push "rules" as much as pushed "morals," said Dan Adler of New Lenox, one of Joe's six children. But Joe did live by a precept he acquired from his participation in the Young Christian Workers during the years he attended Notre Dame University in Indiana.

"If you believe in the good Lord then we have to be of service., "a smiling Joe said in the video. "And housing is not a luxury - it's justice - what it's all about. So in that way, we're just following the rules." Ironically, as a father, Joe didn't push "rules" as much as pushed "morals," said Dan Adler of New Lenox, one of Joe's six children. But Joe did live by a precept he acquired from his participation in the Young Christian Workers during the years he attended Notre Dame University in Indiana.

"The first was observe, see what's around you," Dan said. "Second, is it right? Is it fair? Is it something to be addressed? Three: Take action." Some people falter when they get to the third. Joe was not one of them. Joe served in the Air Force and he is the past president of the J.L. Adler Roofing and Sheet Metal Company, fourth generation company, founded in 1926. He is also a past president of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association; past board member of the Vilaseca Day Care Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Joliet; and founding member of Will County Habitat for Humanity, Spanish Community Center of Joliet and the University of Notre Dame Senior Alumni Board. "But when you talk about Joe, it's got to be Joe and Jodie," Dan said, adding that they worked as a team on many outreach projects.

"The first was observe, see what's around you," Dan said. "Second, is it right? Is it fair? Is it something to be addressed? Three: Take action." Some people falter when they get to the third. Joe was not one of them. Joe served in the Air Force and he is the past president of the J.L. Adler Roofing and Sheet Metal Company, fourth generation company, founded in 1926. He is also a past president of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association; past board member of the Vilaseca Day Care Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Joliet; and founding member of Will County Habitat for Humanity, Spanish Community Center of Joliet and the University of Notre Dame Senior Alumni Board. "But when you talk about Joe, it's got to be Joe and Jodie," Dan said, adding that they worked as a team on many outreach projects.

Jodie was Joe's wife and she was literally an answer to his prayer. During Joe's senior year at Notre Dame, he went to the grotto and, according to Dan, prayed this prayer," I got a good education, but I still don't know what to do with my life. I think I should be married and I need someone who believes in the things I believe in." "Two weeks later he started dating my mom and they were married six months after that," Dan said. of the couple's first projects, initially as part of their involvement with the Christian Family Movement, was becoming involved with Joliet's migrant worker community in the 1960s, Dan said. "They were living in shacks with no running water; the kids weren't going to school, so the women started going over there, helping and advocating," Dan said. Eventually the volunteers needed a central location on Joliet's east side where they could go for assistance. "So they decided to start the Spanish Community Center," Dan said. "They bought a house on Herkimer." But to buy a house, a down payment was needed. The Spanish Community Center was a new organization of just 12 families. The center had no money and no credit, Dan said. So Joe and Jodie took out a second mortgage on their house. 'They got people to donate furniture," Dan said. "I remember being 12 year old and riding around in an old roofing truck bringing furniture to the migrants who needed it." Joe helped people in other ways. Joe recalled the exchange student that lived with them. And the blocks Joe walked when a relative's camera was stolen with all the photos she'd taken from her 65th grade school reunion (Joe found the film the thief discarded). Or the national "Tip the Maids" movement Joe and Jodie founded: tipthemaids.com "He was amazing," Dan said. "It's impossible to keep whatever Dad did going, but we'll try our best."

Jodie was Joe's wife and she was literally an answer to his prayer. During Joe's senior year at Notre Dame, he went to the grotto and, according to Dan, prayed this prayer," I got a good education, but I still don't know what to do with my life. I think I should be married and I need someone who believes in the things I believe in." "Two weeks later he started dating my mom and they were married six months after that," Dan said. of the couple's first projects, initially as part of their involvement with the Christian Family Movement, was becoming involved with Joliet's migrant worker community in the 1960s, Dan said. "They were living in shacks with no running water; the kids weren't going to school, so the women started going over there, helping and advocating," Dan said. Eventually the volunteers needed a central location on Joliet's east side where they could go for assistance. "So they decided to start the Spanish Community Center," Dan said. "They bought a house on Herkimer." But to buy a house, a down payment was needed. The Spanish Community Center was a new organization of just 12 families. The center had no money and no credit, Dan said. So Joe and Jodie took out a second mortgage on their house. 'They got people to donate furniture," Dan said. "I remember being 12 year old and riding around in an old roofing truck bringing furniture to the migrants who needed it." Joe helped people in other ways. Joe recalled the exchange student that lived with them. And the blocks Joe walked when a relative's camera was stolen with all the photos she'd taken from her 65th grade school reunion (Joe found the film the thief discarded). Or the national "Tip the Maids" movement Joe and Jodie founded: tipthemaids.com "He was amazing," Dan said. "It's impossible to keep whatever Dad did going, but we'll try our best."

Nicole Murray recalled a conversation she had with Joe in 2015, shortly after she'd become the executive director of Will County Habitat for Humanity, an organization Joe helped found. She had asked a local church about building a house, but Joe felt she should have asked the church to build an entire neighborhood. When she asked an organization to donate $10,000, Joe asked why she didn't asked for $100,000. "The one thing I can tell you about Joe is that he pushed and pushed," Nicole said. "Some people were turned off by it and others were inspired by it...he believed if you were in a position where God has given you the gift and the talent, you were supposed to put those to work." But that was part of Joe's passion for social justice in general and Habitat for Humanity in particular, Dan said. People didn't always appreciated being persuaded into donating and they knew Joe would do just that. "What Dad was good at was believing that people could do more," Dan said.

Nicole Murray recalled a conversation she had with Joe in 2015, shortly after she'd become the executive director of Will County Habitat for Humanity, an organization Joe helped found. She had asked a local church about building a house, but Joe felt she should have asked the church to build an entire neighborhood. When she asked an organization to donate $10,000, Joe asked why she didn't asked for $100,000. "The one thing I can tell you about Joe is that he pushed and pushed," Nicole said. "Some people were turned off by it and others were inspired by it...he believed if you were in a position where God has given you the gift and the talent, you were supposed to put those to work." But that was part of Joe's passion for social justice in general and Habitat for Humanity in particular, Dan said. People didn't always appreciated being persuaded into donating and they knew Joe would do just that. "What Dad was good at was believing that people could do more," Dan said.

Nicole now understands Joe's passion for Habitat for Humanity. "I do this job because, like Joe, I'm out there helping to fulfill a need," Nicole said. "Joe was the best role model." Through Habitat for Humanity, Joe participated in a build with Oprah Winfrey and a Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, building right alongside Jimmy Carter, Dan said. Just last year, members of the Adler family, along with former U.S. president and first lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, traveled Indiana to build or improve 41 homes, as a way to honor Joe, a Aug. 31, 21018 Herald-News story said.

Nicole now understands Joe's passion for Habitat for Humanity. "I do this job because, like Joe, I'm out there helping to fulfill a need," Nicole said. "Joe was the best role model." Through Habitat for Humanity, Joe participated in a build with Oprah Winfrey and a Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, building right alongside Jimmy Carter, Dan said. Just last year, members of the Adler family, along with former U.S. president and first lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, traveled Indiana to build or improve 41 homes, as a way to honor Joe, a Aug. 31, 21018 Herald-News story said.

Joe was also instrumental in bringing a premiere of the 1993 film "Rudy," based on Joliet's Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger and his dream of playing football at Notre Dame, to the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet. Tickets for the viewing were $50, $25 and $15. Proceeds were donated to Habitat for Humanity, Dan said. "It just made sense to him," Dan said. "If you believe in God, you believe in doing the rest of this stuff. He wasn't very evangelistic in that way, but it was all based on faith." As a father, Joe was hard-working and frugal. Many days he was out the door before dawn and did not return until late, Dan said. He didn't like to buy new clothes and enjoyed White Castle hamburgers, he added. Joe didn't lecture his children; he engaged them. "We always talked about things," Dan said. Joe died June 8, 2019. But Nicole is convinced that, through the people Joe inspired, his passion for giving will remain very much alive. "Because of Joe, we will achieve more," Nicole said. • To feature someone in "An Extraordinary Life," contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.

Joe was also instrumental in bringing a premiere of the 1993 film "Rudy," based on Joliet's Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger and his dream of playing football at Notre Dame, to the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet. Tickets for the viewing were $50, $25 and $15. Proceeds were donated to Habitat for Humanity, Dan said. "It just made sense to him," Dan said. "If you believe in God, you believe in doing the rest of this stuff. He wasn't very evangelistic in that way, but it was all based on faith." As a father, Joe was hard-working and frugal. Many days he was out the door before dawn and did not return until late, Dan said. He didn't like to buy new clothes and enjoyed White Castle hamburgers, he added. Joe didn't lecture his children; he engaged them. "We always talked about things," Dan said. Joe died June 8, 2019. But Nicole is convinced that, through the people Joe inspired, his passion for giving will remain very much alive. "Because of Joe, we will achieve more," Nicole said. • To feature someone in "An Extraordinary Life," contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.

An Extraordinary LifeJoliet
Denise Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland is the features editor for The Herald-News in Joliet. She covers a variety of human interest stories. She also writes the long-time weekly tribute feature “An Extraordinary Life about local people who have died. She studied journalism at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, now the University of St. Francis.