Roll Call Tribute

Joe James Yanta 

July 23, 1937 - December 11, 2024 

Joe James Yanta returned to his Heavenly Father on December 11, 2024 after tenaciously battling cancer. He was the seventh of eight children born to Mary Magdalen Pollok Yanta and John Andrew Yanta at the family ranch in Runge, Texas and was delivered at home by his maternal grandmother. His oldest sibling and only sister, Valeria Yanta Ebeier, reminisced during her lifetime that she and her mother and grandmother would always pray the Rosary (mostly for a baby girl) while their mother was in labor.

Joe is reunited with his loving wife of nearly 61 years, Joyce Aline Poston Yanta, who preceded him in death in May of 2023 and is survived by their four children: Madelon Yanta Leone (husband Charles Leone), Mark Yanta (wife Marisa Davis Yanta), Matthew Yanta (wife Victoria Pomilla Yanta) and Maurie Yanta Bosl (husband Dustin Bosl). He is also survived by their nine grandchildren-- Russell Leone, Warren Leone, Christiana Leone, Joseph Yanta, Noah Yanta, Jack Yanta, Luke Yanta, Bella Bosl, Kai Bosl, and 48 nieces and nephews. Joe was also preceded in death by his seven siblings: Valeria Yanta Ebeier, Edwin Yanta, Ernest Yanta, Wilfred Yanta, Bishop John Yanta, Fabian Yanta and Vernon Yanta.

Being born into a ranching family with plenty of brothers, Joe fondly remembered completing afternoon chores that usually involved caring for livestock and maintaining equipment and then sometimes having time enough to hunt or even slide on “wax paper bread wrappers” down a makeshift slide near the windmill at their home. As he and his brothers grew older, they worked long hours at the ranch and farm often under the blazing Texas sun as each of them took their turn running the family ranch, especially as their father grew older.

Joe graduated from Texas A&M University in 1961 with a degree in mathematics. After graduation, he returned to Runge, and took his turn running the family ranch. Later, he held various managerial positions primarily in manufacturing and then spent the latter portion of his career owning and operating his own custom acrylics and skylight manufacturing business.

While attending a St. Mary's University sock hop, he met, fell in love with and eventually married his life-long spouse and best friend, Joyce Aline Poston, in 1962. Joe regularly participated in various volunteer activities within the Catholic parishes in which he and Joyce resided, including being a church lector and usher, parish council member, CYO flag football, basketball, baseball, and track coach as well as serving in the Knights of Columbus. Joyce and Joe's home has long been a gathering place for holiday celebrations, birthdays and other family events. One of Joe's favorite pastimes was grilling outdoors, to whom he credits his life-long friend and grilling mentor, dearly departed Kemp Janecek. In their later years, Joe and Joyce enjoyed traveling to Europe and Central America. Joe’s favorite trip of all was when he accompanied his son Mark to Africa (which Joe periodically claimed reminded him of Charco, Texas minus the elephants, lions, etc.). In recent years, Joe was honored to serve as vice-president of The Polish Heritage Center of Panna Maria, Texas.

The family thanks his caregivers Alma, Alicia, Claudia, Claudia Patricia, Fomba, Miguel, Jesse, and Dora for all their kind and compassionate care and attention. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The American Cancer Society, the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Friends Foundation, https://1hopeforkids.org/donate, The Polish Heritage Center of Panna Maria or any charity of your choice.

Rosary and Memorial Mass, Friday, January 3, 2025, 9:30am St. Matthew Catholic Church, 10703 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78230.