Joseph E. Slonkosky, age 57, Versailles, passed away of natural causes, after an extended illness, early Thursday morning, September 3, 2015, at the State of the Heart Hospice Care Center in Greenville, Ohio.

He was born January 20, 1958, in Sidney, Ohio, to the late Jerome F. Slonkosky and Miriam (Dapore) Slonkosky of Fort Loramie.

Also surviving are one son, Nicholas Jerome Slonkosky of Versailles and four siblings: Lynn & Ron Hoying of Fort Loramie, Susie & Jeff Nelson of Celina, Jack Slonkosky of Fort Loramie, Jim & Teresa Slonkosky of Versailles, as well as numerous relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by an infant brother, Jeffrey Slonkosky.

Joe had been a mechanic and auto-body fabricator/designer; his true passion was racing. Among his numerous awards was the 1989 and 1990 ARCA Crew Chief of the Year, winning the 1990 ARCA Racing Series championship with Brevak Racing Team out of Wisconsin. Slonkosky, known at the tracks nationwide as "Joe Snow" started his career as a member of a group of young racing mechanics in the Versailles/Fort Loramie, Ohio area. For years, if his garage doors were up, you would see countless volunteers working to put the final touches on the race car. They often rolled the car into the trailer with wet paint, just in time for a race. That group worked on four-time ARCA National Champion Car Owner Jim Coyle's legendary orange No. 1 Riverside Auto Parts Cars driven to ARCA championships by Marvin Smith and Lee Raymond. Joe was introduced to Bob and Shelly Brevak by Riverside team crew chief Jerry Gara, leading to Slonkosky's long association with the Brevak Racing Team.

Joe was also crew chief for team owners Terry Baltes, Bob Schacht and Nick Tucker in ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. He was a member of race teams which visited victory lane in the ARCA Racing Series for four consecutive decades from the late 1970s through the 2000s. His final activity, prior to the stroke, was serving as crew chief for Bob and Shelly Brevak's son Brent at the Daytona ARCA test prior to the 2011 season.

Mr. Slonkosky graduated with the Fort Loramie High School class of 1976. He was a member of the Goat Farmers social club, the Celina Moose, Fort Loramie Sons of American Legion, a lifetime member of the Versailles Fraternal Order of Eagles and had been a past member of the Fort Loramie Fire Department. Joe enjoyed the challenge of repairing anything and everything people dropped off for him to fix.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at St. Michael Church in Fort Loramie with Rev. Steven Shoup presiding. Interment will follow at St. Michael Cemetery.

Friends may call Tuesday 4:00 to 8:00 PM and Wednesday 9:00 to 10:00 AM at Gehret Funeral Home, 64 Elm St., Fort Loramie.

Memorials may be made to the Nicholas Slonkosky education fund c/o Versailles Savings & Loan, 10413 Kley Rd., Versailles, or the Center For Neurological Development, Burkettsville.

Condolences may be expressed at www.gehretfuneralhome.com.