Ankeny's Joe Tourte Loved People, Christmas and His Dog, Odie

Sara Tourte remembers when her brother, Joe, was born. To this day, he had the biggest blue eyes she has ever seen.

His eyes and his huge smile were only a couple of the many things Joe used to win over the people he met, 21-year-old Sara said. 

“His smile was so contagious,” she said. “He just wanted everyone to be happy. He would always tell jokes and whenever anyone in our family was upset with one another, he would remind us that we loved each other and to quit arguing.”

Did you know Joe Tourte? Share your memories of him in the comments section below.

Sixteen-year-old Joe Tourte, a 10th-grader at Ankeny High School, died Sunday at an Iowa City hospital from health complications while he was awaiting a heart transplant.

According to his obituary, a visitation for Joe will be held from 5 to 8 pm. tonight at 1510 W. First St. The funeral service is set for 11 a.m. Friday at 206 S.W. Walnut St.

Joe loved being at home with his family, Sara said. He was very meticulous and organized and had to know where everything was located.

Like any teenager, he also tried to avoid going to school. He would much rather stay at home and play on his iPad or with his dog, Odie.

“Every morning before school, he would try to prolong it by playing with his iPad or something like that,” Sara said. “Eventually, though, he would get his rear in gear.”

Teen Loved His Family, Dog, Dancing

Sara also remembered a time her brother was upset and tried to run away from home.

“He grabbed his backpack, put peanut butter and crackers in it and said, ‘I’m running away’,” she said. “The entire time he was walking down the street, his head was turned to see if we were following him."

Of course, she ran right after him, Sara said.

But despite being a homebody, Joe loved people. He met many of his friends in his P.E. class., where he loved to show off his dance moves.

“He was such a special boy,” Sara said. “He loved everyone and he is going to be missed by a lot of people.”

Joe’s grandma, Kathleen Blachford, who lives in Michigan, said she always sent Joe gifts on his birthday and several different holidays. It reached a point, she said, where he got excited when he was a UPS truck.

“He would say, ‘It’s a package coming from Nana!” Kathleen said. “We loved him so much and he could always make us laugh; we just got the biggest kick out of him.”

Joe loved presents and Christmas, said his grandpa, Rich Blachford. He didn’t mind giving either, although it came with a condition.

“If Joe got you a present, it was always a present Joe liked, too, in case you didn’t like it,” Rich said with a laugh. “That way he could keep it.”

Joe spent all year preparing his grandparents for Christmas, Rich said.

“He would cut pictures out of a magazine or paper and would say, ‘Hey, Grandpa, let me show you something’,” Rich said. “That’s what he wanted for Christmas.”

Ankeny Family's Angel

Since driving wasn’t something Joe could do, Rich said he treated his grandson during a visit to Michigan. With a little help from his grandpa, the pair went off-roading in the sand dunes.

“I put him in the driver’s seat, buckled him in and turned him loose,” Rich said. “I’ve never seen him have so much fun.”

Rich said Joe always had an angelic quality about him.

“He’s a very special boy and the Lord has a great angel now,’" Rich said. “As the chosen one of our family to lead the way and go to heaven first, Joe is going to do a good job.”

In remembrance of Joe, the Tourte family encourages those wishing to give to direct their donations to the Ankeny school district or ChildServe. Any donation made to the school district will go into the special education program to help with technology upgrades in the rooms.

ChildServe is an organization through which Joe received a lot of his care, Sara said.

“Joe had been there for so long and they were so great to him,” she said. “They’re a really special group of people.”