Joest, Brian H. Memorial Fund

Donor Fund Story:

Brian Henry Joest was born in Lagrange, Indiana in 1957.  He grew up on the Atwood family farm that was settled by his ancestors in the mid-1800s.  Now a historical Hoosier Homestead, the Atwood Farm provided him with all the outdoor activities possible for a farm boy in northern Indiana.  Brian’s love of nature and the outdoors continued throughout his life.  After high school, he attended Glen Oaks Community College and then Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics.

For decades, Brian went on annual backcountry camping and canoeing trips across the US and Canada.  He paddled some of the most beautiful rivers in North America.  He took a road trip to remote northern Alaska.  He camped out on an active volcano in Guatemala.  He explored most of the US National Parks.  In his later years, his travels were less rustic but still adventurous as he and his wife, Cindy, checked off many items on his bucket list.  They traveled to Paris, Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Ireland, and all around the US and Canada.

Brian began his professional career with management positions at Many Glacier Hotel at Glacier National Park in Montana; the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan; the Mountain View Grand Resort in New Hampshire; and Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado.  He also worked for Marriott Corporation where he opened new hotels across the Midwest.

Upon the birth of his first child, Brian moved his young family back to Lagrange County so his children could grow up on the Atwood Farm near their family.  Brian worked for Life Care Center of Lagrange, was a substitute teacher for the Lakeland School District, and worked for fifteen years for East Noble School Corporation, most recently as an Instructional Assistant for high school students with special needs.

Brian enjoyed doing things for other people and took so much joy in their happiness.  His career choices reflected his servant’s heart.  He loved working in the hospitality industry and being able to make someone else’s vacation more memorable.  He helped the patients and their families at Life Care Center.  He spent years making a difference for students in our local schools.

Brian experienced first-hand the unique challenges faced by the families of individuals with special needs.  He was a father, stepfather, and step-grandfather to children with different disabilities.  He understood the difficulties of navigating support systems and knew there are gaps in these systems that result in unmet needs.  At the end of his life, while he was fighting cancer, Brian dreamed of being able to return to the classroom to help special needs students.  This was not to be.  In 2022, his family created this fund in his honor with the intent of continuing his dream to help improve the lives of individuals with special needs.