Joe L. Primm (North Cascades ’60)
Posted: July 24, 2026
Joe was born January 30, 1938, in Wallowa, OR. He was living in Klamath Falls, OR, when he passed away on June 26, 2026.
An only child, Joe grew up in Oregon. During his youth, he was active in football, baseball, and boxing. He built a soapbox derby car with his dad and enjoyed racing it, taking first place at a race in Pendleton, OR, in 1949. At Hermiston (OR) HS, Joe excelled as a shortstop on the state championship baseball team. Some of his first jobs were delivering watermelons and working as a gravedigger. His fondest memories as a youth were pheasant-hunting and listening to the Oregon State Beavers on the radio.
After graduating from high school, Joe trained to be a smokejumper. He jumped at NCSB in Winthrop, WA, during the 1960 season.
As he recalls: “I am proud to say Francis Lufkin (NCSB-40) hired me in 1960, and I trained under his leadership. Some years later, I had the privilege to meet Fred Brauer (MSO-41), and he referred to me as one of Francis’s boys.”
His rookie year, he married Joan Helm.
After one year at Oregon State, Joe started a 26-year career with the USFS that included service in six national forests in Region Six. After retirement in 1987, he spent another 15 years in the private timber industry.
Joe spent his retirement years bike-riding, walking, attending local sporting events, fishing, and meeting his numerous friends for coffee. He also spent four seasons as a caretaker at the historic Riddle Brothers Ranch on Steens Mountain in Harney County, OR. And for many years, he volunteered with Meals on Wheels, delivering food to local seniors.
Joe and Joan raised three children, Brit, Keith, and Amy. Joan passed away in December 2022.
