(Thomas Aquinas College, authored by Joe's parents) — Early on the morning of Friday, January 16, the Lord called home our beloved son Joseph Malcolm Weinkopf, a member of the Thomas Aquinas College Class of 2028. A lifelong resident of Santa Paula, Joe was our third child, born on October 8, 2006. From an early age, he showed a great love for the passions that would define his life: music, sports, and friendships. He sang joyfully and often. He delighted in playing or watching any game, be it football, ultimate frisbee, wiffleball, or even Bananagrams. And, blessed with a knack for listening and understanding others, he forged deep friendships, most notably with his older sister and brother. By the time Joe was 11, our family would welcome four more children into our home, and he was immediately beloved by them all. He was endlessly inventive in devising games to play with his younger siblings, and they cheered him on as he worked his way up the ranks in Santa Paula Little League, AYSO Soccer, and, in high school, Heritage Valley Blazers Track and St. Augustine Crusaders Baseball. At the same time, he sang with the local homeschool choir, learned the guitar, and performed in two productions of the Santa Paula Junior Musical Theatre Company, starring as Harold Hill in the 2024 performance of The Music Man. Joe was blessed by the example and guidance of so many teachers and coaches, and he yearned to follow in their footsteps. Every year, starting when he was 13 until his graduation from high school, he helped coach one...
Read More
