Obituary - Joseph Ernest Preissner Jr.

PREISSNER, Joseph Ernest, Jr., of Richmond, passed away on October 22, 2022, at the age of 74. A lifelong resident, Joe grew up biking in and around Byrd Park, Carytown, and the Fan; conducting backyard experiments with his chemistry set; developing his off-beat sense of humor with visiting extended family; and communicating with the world through his hand built ham radio at his boyhood home on Nansemond Street. Joe attended St. Benedict’s Catholic School and graduated from Benedictine High School in 1966. He made fond memories traveling to Winchester to march in the Apple Blossom Festival Parade and to visit his Aunt Louise’s Ward’s Pastry Shop.

Joe attended Virginia Tech where he graduated in 1971 with a B.S. degree in Business Accounting and also where he met his college sweetheart and future wife, Donna Sue Fairchild of Roanoke. They married in 1972 and later moved to their first house in the Willow Lawn area, a real lemon where he and his cherished father honed their handyman skills and experience. This proved most useful in choosing the plans for his later home in Henrico County, where the family together constructed the deck, finished off the basement and built a garage workshop.

After working his way through college expenses as a “baggage smasher” with Greyhound Bus Lines, Joe began a long career in state government, beginning in the Auditor of Public Accounts’ office, where he traveled across the state conducting counts of all manner of state property from bottles in busy ABC stores just before holiday weekends to sacks of beans fermenting in state-owned Shockoe Bottom warehouses after the waters receded from the 1985 election day flood. Joe then transitioned to the Department of Transportation where he held multiple positions including overseeing the creation of the first electronic inventory management systems (PIMS) for VDOT and later leading a statewide pilot project exploring significant cost and time savings measures which could be found by integrating commercial partners such as NAPA Auto Parts into VDOT regional supply and maintenance facilities. Joe retired as Inventory and Accounting Section Manager in the VDOT Administrative Services Division in 2002.

Joe led his young family and their friends outdoors for recreation, especially to the Shenandoah National Park and the Chesapeake Bay area, where hiking and camping gave them much enjoyment. In retirement, Joe and Donna enjoyed their time reading and watching films at home with their cats, rallying with fellow Winnebago campers, visiting San Diego and spending time with his two precious young grandsons.

Joseph was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 46 years; and his parents, Joseph Ernest Preissner and Thelma Martin Preissner. He is survived by his daughter, Melody A. Thomas, her husband, Greg A. Thomas and their two sons, Gavin A. Thomas and Owen N. Thomas, all of Richmond; his son, William S. Preissner of Washington, D.C.; sister, Ann Ruth Rowe of Richmond; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at Bliley’s - Central, 3801 Augusta Ave, Richmond, where his funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Interment will follow immediately in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.