by Carolyn Rutherford Mayo, Contributor
Can you hear him?
-That percussive laugh.
-That voice that sang or offered dialogue as though the sound repelled off his diaphragm and shot directly into the stratosphere.
-That loving way of referring to you as “Doll” or “Venom Neck” or “Lard Ass”.
-That precise and accurate wit revealing a lifetime of study and knowledge about almost anything that had to do with charm, social history, language, literature, opera, theatre, dance and anything rare.
 Can you see him?
-That amazing head of hair.
-That Barrymore profile.
-That jaunty pose that caused a fellow actor to refer to him as a 19th Century Dandy.
-That delicious physique-especially the derriere.
Can you feel him?
Can you see him in every show you have done with him?
In life and onstage Joe’s energy knew no bounds. I was lucky enough to perform with Joe in a few productions, my favorite was in the play “Tom Jones”. 
I remember standing next to Joe and feeling the energy flow from him like a great tsunami. He would come onstage and that energy would kind of knock you over and then it would flow out into the audience finding its way to the back wall…and then it would reverse and come back toward the stage bringing with it amazing sounds of laughter and joy! And often times a standing ovation!
I can feel the exhausted hysteria in the costume shop during those all night construction sessions. Or Joe holding court for hours on end keeping all of us in stitches. He IS seamlessly sewn into the fabric of each of us.
I first got to know Joe when he came to live with me and my roommate Valerie Thorson.  The arrangement was that he could stay for free if he would cook for us. The first time he cooked we could hear him banging pots and pans in the kitchen while singing bits of past opera performances.  After the meal I went into the kitchen….. Then I looked up…
Obviously Joe cooked like he lived and performed…With great bravado! After Joe moved out I had to get a ladder and clean the ceiling of my kitchen. But we did eat well!
Joe is one of two people I have met in my life that binge watched the Arts Program on public television. And after getting on Facebook while WE were all were posting things like “What is your Color”, “What is your Aura”,  “Who is your Celebrity Twin,” or better yet, “Who is your Evil Twin”. Joe was posting the most amazing opera peformances, snippits of Bela Lugosi, wishing Happy Birthday to Vincent Price and offering quizzes like “What Era is Your English?” 
His knowledge and sharing of puns, jokes, quotes, and stories are legendary…I know you each have your favorite. 
I haven’t lived in Omaha or been around Joe much for 22 years. For the last year Joe and I would message on Facebook almost on a daily basis.  We were – and are, like all of you, family.  We loved like family, we fought like family, we forgave like family and we were there for each other like family. Recently Joe was concerned about my husband’s health so he told me he went to church and lit a candle for Mike. That’s Joe.
I do want to take a moment to thank everyone here for loving Joe. There are some people in particular we need to thank…
John Billings
Bob Hedges and family
Paul and Sheila Rosenberg
Joe’s sister, Karen and her husband Larry, Joe’s brother Don
Tommy Eby
and most of all…Mr. Gary Bosanek
Joe –
Graceful, joyful, gentle, loyal. Boisterous, exasperating, alive, and seemingly indestructible.  We WILL meet again Joe Miloni. You have taught us to savor the rare, the unique, the fragile.  We will hug often, laugh loudly together, and treasure every moment.
I was going to close with Terry Berner’s beautiful tribute from Shakespeare to Joe online: “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” However, I choose to close in a different way.  I imagine that Joe and Charles are somewhere together sharing a smoke, a cocktail, a funny story, some Beef Wellington and, of course, PEEcan Sandies.
 
God Bless you Joe and God Bless each and every one of you.
 

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