Liberty Hill's town greeter dies at 91
Claire Osborn @cosbo4
Jul 28, 2011 at 12:01 AM Dec 12, 2018 at 8:14 AM
Troy Joseph spent his last years sitting in a black armchair greeting visitors and chatting with his friends at Liberty Hill's city offices. The town greeter had served in World War II, raised cattle, run a gasoline station, been an auctioneer and worked countless hours at community benefits. He died from cancer on Tuesday at age 91 at his home in Liberty Hill, said his daughter, Suzy Joseph Lyon.
He had given up his role as the town greeter a few months ago, after his wife died, Lyon said. Joseph had been married for 52 years to his wife, Norma, whom he called "Momma," Lyon said.
"The last word that my dad spoke was my mother's name," Lyon said.
"Everyone will miss him," James Pogue, one of Joseph's friends, said. "He's just one of those people that keeps everyone together."
Born in Liberty Hill, Joseph graduated from Liberty Hill High School before going to Durham Business College in Austin and working construction jobs, his daughter said. Even though he had lost one of his eyes at age 8, he served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II, she said.
He worked for commercial contractors all over Texas until he had a heart attack in 1976, Lyon said. He then attended Austin Community College and was certified in small engine repair, she said. He opened a Texaco gas station in Liberty Hill with his wife, volunteered at Veterans of Foreign Wars, was an election judge and ran a precinct, she said.
Last year, Joseph faced criticism from Liberty Hill Mayor Michele "Mike" Murphy, who posted on her Facebook page that Joseph had cursed at her during a City Council meeting because she didn't want him to be the town greeter anymore. She also accused him of being a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Joseph — who did not read Facebook — said in February that he was not a member of the KKK and had voted for President Barack Obama.
Murphy later apologized to Joseph and baked him a pie, Lyon said.
"Everyone in Liberty Hill misses the wave and smile from Troy Joseph, who held down the official job of Town Greeter on Main Street," Murphy said Wednesday.
Services for Joseph will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Liberty Hill VFW, 102 E. Myrtle Lane.
cosborn@statesman.com; 246-0040