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I believe JOE lived a great life and loved his work and family.I will miss his smile.

Mary Ortiz

May prayers are with you Barb as you loose your best friend of 19 years…I can not begin to imagine how this feels…I am truly, truly sorry.

I picture Joe up in heaven now, looking down at us, and though I did not know him for that long, I know he would want us to celebrate his life and spend as little time as possible mourning his death.

It is no surprise to me that he wants us to contribute to the VFW chapter.

My old man is also a retired Chief Master Sergeant…he and Joe are cut from the same cloth, and bleed air force blue as all true zoomies do.

I will always appreciate Joe’s candor and sense of humor…I look forward to meeting him again.

Sincerely,

Darryl

P.S. I truly wish I could be there, but my thoughts and prayers are with the Lavigne family, even from Haiti.

I cannot imagine a world without Joe’s wit and wisdom anymore than I can imagine a world without Joe and Barb being together. I have valued their friendship, admired their loving relationship, and envied the wonderful vacations they always took! I had the benefit of Joe’s experience and advice when he was the 2nd Bomb Wing Command Chief and I worked for him. His vast knowledge always impressed me as did his caring for the troops and no nonsense approach. I will truly miss him and if I miss him this much, I can only imagine how much Barb and all of his family will miss him. I take comfort in knowing he is no longer suffering, but selfishly want him back with Barb and the rest of us.

Our hearts and prayers are with you in this most trying time. We can honestly say that the Chief was a wonderful husband to Barb, friend, and mentor for all who came into contact with him. Each of our lives were blessed for having known him.

Barb, your family is in our thoughts and prayers. Joe helped many of us get where we are today, I indeed owe a lot to him for helping me get where I am, he will be missed.

Alan

Barb and family, I am very sorry to hear about Chief, it was an honor to serve under him in the greatest Bomb Wing of the USAF. 2d Bomb Wing, second to none!

Barb,

Sandy and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences. Although I never had the opportunity of working directly with Chief, I know on a personal level, countless Airmen whose lives he touched. His positive impact continues in both the civilian and military Public Affairs communities.

Barb,

My prayers go out to you and the family. Joe was a great guy, i am Glad he was my Command Chief at Barksdale. He will be missed very much. He was a true leader and a great role model for everyone. My prayers will be with you all.

Denise

Barb,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Joe was one of the biggest mentors to me. I remember the Volksmarches and the dinners that you and Joe would always have the “Gang” over for. Joe will be missed and he was a great man and a Chief among Chief’s!!!

Barb, I have been waiting for the right time and waiting for the right words to come along before I signed this but neither time nor words seem “right.” My heart breaks for you and your family and I’m so sorry that you are going through this sad, uncomprehensible time. It only makes sense that he touched all of our lives in so many ways, he is a hero and will always remain in my heart.

AP

Barb,

My wife, Rose, and I wish to share our deepest sympathy with you at this time of great sadness. While we most definitely mourn the loss of a loved one, a friend, and a co-worker, we must find strength in the memories of all he has done over his full and rich life.

Joe will not truly be gone until the last person with fond memories of him shall pass away. It is through the remembrances of the many thousands of men and women whose lives he has touched over the years, that he will live on in our hearts and minds.

He was a great man. He is a great man. He will always remain, a great man.

God Bless

Dearest Barb,

Our deepest and sincerest sympathy in your time of sorrow. We will always remember Joe as a good human being who cared for his friends and family and especially how he dearly loved you. He will be missed!

Our love,

Susan and Michael

Barbara:

Working with you and getting to meet Chief Joe several times though that was one of the high and best points of my work, and you both put a human and caring face on the Air Force, as much as any two people who formed a life through it. The Chief will be missed, and I hope you and your family endure the loss with the help and grace of God and the support of your many friends.

Barb,

There just are no right words at a time like this, but you have my deepest sympathies, my prayers, my strength and my love at this sad time.

I was so blessed to have the chance to work with you and Chief, as I had the opportunity to learn from two people whose love for the Air Force showed in everything you did. I know that Chief put his heart and his soul into his career, but he also put it into his marriage with you, the love of his life.

I know that he is looking down on you now and smiling, and he will be with you now and forever, Barb, as you carry his memory always in your heart.

Love,

Carla

I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what you are going through right now. It’s difficult to find the right words, but I know Joe was respected and loved by so many people. I will remember him as a great chief with an awesome since of humor and a friendly smile. The first time I met Joe was at a journalism workshop in San Antonio. I was a young, arrogant senior airman. During an open forum discussion with the Chief, I asked a heated question about the effect of cross-trainees on the Public Affairs career field. The chief and I went ’round and ’round with that one. He could have just set me in my place and move on, but he took the time to explain the process and even talked with me about it some more that evening just to make sure I understood. I also always enjoyed the golf outings with the chief in Hawaii. As a young staff sergeant, I remember he was always very down to Earth and very approachable. Although I always knew he was “The Chief,” I also knew he was a friend. The world has lost a great man, but the memories and stories he left behind will last forever.

Joe was a good man and we will miss him at US Southern Command.

Sincerely,

Mark Morgan

I work at SOUTHCOM. You have my deepest sympathy on this sad occasion. I salute and praise Joe for his dedicated service to the US military and to SOUTHCOM, and you can be very proud while we are very admirable, of his service and his accomplishments.

My prayers are with you Barb.

Barb,

Please accept my condolences. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during these very difficult times.

It’s very hard to understand why we lost one of our hero’s. But, during the time he led us in the 2d Bomb Wing, we were without a doubt THE best bomb wing in the world. To this day we continue to struggle finding leaders that cared as much as Chief L. How fitting that the man with such love for his country be honored on Veterans Day. May the happy memories bring you comfort during this time.

My condolences to the family during your time of grief. Chief was very involved during his stint here and we missed him when he left. Hold your heads high and be proud of his contributions to mankind. God bless you all.

SMSgt Bunton, Barksdale AFB

Barb

I am so sorry for your loss. I will miss Joe very much. Your SOUTHCOM family is standing by to help in any way we can.

Cheri

Barb

This is the saddest of days…

It seems like only yesterday, I stood with Joe as he retired from the United States Air Force. In fact, if you remember, for the only time I can remember, I had to read my speech because I was so worried that I wouldn’t get through the ceremony. I’ve included it here for you–this is how I, Carol and the thousands of Airmen touched by CMSgt Joe Lavigne will remember him as a leader, teacher, mentor and their best friend.

Carol and I are thinking of you–we wish we could be there with you but

we are praying for you and know that Joe is watching down on you and all

of us. In fact, knowing Joe–he’s probably trying to convince God right now to change his golf grip to improve his game!

You are in our thoughts and prayers…

M2

MOM

Remember all the good times we all shared with Dad. He will be with us everyday now, watching over us and protecting us. Remember his famous saying…We’re at where we’re at..We’re going where we’re going and We’ll get there when we get there. He is at peace now, awaitng the day for all of us to greet him. I love you.

Barbara,

Condolences at this difficult time. My prayers go out to you and your family in the most sincere way. May God Bless you and your daughters and help you all find solace. Your entire SOUTHCOM family is thinking about you.

Again, God Bless.

-CaptV

Barb,

Our hearts just ache to think of the sadness and sense of loss you must be feeling. Just know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Chief Lavigne was truly one of the best … a guy who cared about those of us out in the field, and thought of us with every decision he made. He was the chief we all looked up to and all wanted to be some day. Barb, I pray God takes away your pain and gives your family comfort. Some people at the end of their lives may ask, “Did I make a difference?” In Joe’s case, there was no doubt. A Great Man. A Great American. A Great Human Being.

Dear Barb and family,

I wanted to send my sympathy and love to you, you’ve been in my thoughts and prayers for months, and you will continue to be, especially tomorrow.I wish comfort, strength,and courage for the times ahead.So many people have written such wonderful things about Joe, how blessed you are to have shared that,and to be the love of his life. You will always have that…Love you, Marcia

Barb,

Chief Lavigne was a tremendous leader in our Air Force and he was an anchor for us in USAFE Public Affairs. I will always remember his smile, his enthusiasm, and his passion for our team, our service and his love of country. God bless you and your family.

Barb,

Please accept our heartfelt condolences. You are in our prayers. Joe had a positive impact on thousands of people and we count ourselves fortunate to be among them. Jim & Terri

Barb, I am so very sorry about Joe’s passing. Joe was a delightful person and one of the more colorful characters in Air Force Public Affairs. He was smart, shrewd and yet, a joy to be around–most of the time. And yes, he was an amazing public affairs pro. I was always impressed with the ingenious schemes he came up with to meet our impossible challenges. What a bundle of energy! I think he was one of the most enthusiastic people I have met. I will miss him.

Barb, Irmie and I wish to express to you our deepest heartfelt sympathy for your loss. Joe was a dear friend and a wonderful husband. We know how much you meant to each other and wish you strength in this time of need. All our love, George and Irmie

Dear Barb, So very sorry to hear about Joe. Our hearts go out to you. We will continue to hold you up in prayer. Keep looking to our Heavenly Father for the peace that only He can give. Remembering in love and prayer, Larry and Joan

Dear Barb, We will all sadly miss but lovingly remember Joe for his good sense of humor and for all the fun times we had together. With all our love, Tom, Linda, April and Tommy.

Barbara,

It is with the utmost respect and profound sadness that I offer my condolences. I can think of few other relationships between two people who were so perfectly matched. We are blessed with a limited amount of time on this earth; rejoice in the memories of those times.

My deepest sympathies

Chris

Barb, We are truly sorry for your loss and are honored to have met Joe.

Barb, I am so very sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.

With all our love.

We loved him, but God loved him best.

My prayers are with you and your family.

MARY ANN KIRTON

I met Joe at a PA Conference back in 2000. He immediately impressed me with how down-to-Earth and approachable he was. I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to share some time with him. My thoughts and prayers go out to Barb and his daughters at this difficult time. God bless.

Joe, I admired your honesty, sincerity, and your leadership. You always found a way to fix things. You are a great person and NCO you will be missed by many.

Barbara,

Joe will be missed but his memory will live on…he will be missed. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.

Barb and family, I really appreciate you letting me share the thoughts and stories from Joe’s friends at his service. He touched so many and he will be missed more than you will ever know. Be comforted in the fact that his friends across the world will never forget this great man of integrity and character!

Dear Barb, We’re so sorry about Joe, and are thinking about you. Please take care and we’ll see you soon. Love, Milt, Doreen, Scott, Lynnette, Juane, Janice, Alann and Bobbie..

My condolences to his family. May Almighty GOD receive our heroe who served his country and his family honorably. I’m sure that as he reports to duty he’ll say to GOD SIR, mission accomplished!

Levigne Family;

I was very sad to find out what happened to Mr. Lavigne. I work at USSOUTHCOM and I am part of Strategic Communications group were he was also a member. I always admired the way he conducted himself and the way showed respect to everyone. I did not work with him on a daily basis; however, in the short time that I spent with Mr. Levigne during several meetings he made a positive lasting impression. As soon as I found out about Mr. Lavigne, I prayed for him and his family. May God bless you all with peace and wisdom through this tough situation. My heart and my prayers goes to all his family. May God bless you all, Amen.

Barb,

My thouhgts and prayers are with you. I will never forget all the good times and golf days we enjoyed while attending the many graduations at Maxwell and Keesler. I learned a great deal from Joe and he will be missed by all whom he had contact with.

George Bice

Barb, I am sorry for your loss.

I was shocked the morning of 12 Nov to see the flowers in the lobby of SOUTHCOM. Joe was my Chief when I was in Korea. He made an indelible impression on my career. A great Chief — more importantly, a great man. My deepest sympathies to you all.

Enterprise Support Logistics sends prayers and our deepest sympathy in the the loss our Comrade. May God grant you peace and understanding during this difficult time. God Bless you

Barb, You and “Sgt. Scoop” have had such a wonderful impact on my life. I’m not sure where to even begin — Your friendship and support, Joe’s wisdom prior to my trip to Incirlik. The hunt in the alley for pistachios!, the AF ball and the wild shirt! I join so many others in expressing my profound grief at the loss of a great man. However, I’d be remiss in not mentioning that part of what made Joe such a great man, was the influence of such a great woman. He’ll be missed, but he will never be forgotten.

Joe, you are missed. I wish I could have come and seen you off but I know I’ll have the opportunity to see you again. You were an understanding, gracious, selfless man and we are all lucky to have had the chance to be with you no matter how fleeting.

Barb, it’s often said that God only gives us as much as we can handle. I hope that you find strength in reliving the times you and Joe had together and knowledge that your friends are always there for support.

God bless and God Speed Joe Lavigne!

Barb — I’m shocked and heartbroken to hear of Chief’s death. I remember first meeting you both during Desert Shield/Storm at Langley when you were a SSgt and I was a 2Lt. I hope during this hard time you are comforted by wonderful memories of the two of you together! I remember laughing a lot around him and that is a good thing. You are in my prayers and I know he is in a better place watching over you and the family. I’m so sorry for your loss. Val Trefts

Joe will be sorely missed-I’ve known both of you for a long time! Barb, I know your pain and wish I could express condolences better, but I’m sure he’s in a better place now. Please come by and talk any time you need to. God bless you!

Doc E

Please accept my most sincere condolences on your loss. My prayers are with you and your family.

God Bless the Lavigne Family.

From the NCOs of Special Operations Command South.

Barb and family — I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

My condolences to Joe’s family. I did not know him well but he always returned my calls, gave me good advice and seemed to always teach me something. I met him a couple of times in my career and wish I could have known him better. God Bless him and his loved ones.

When I first met Joe, he was the guy who forced me to give up the gravy train assignment in Europe. But moving to DC was the best thing that EVER happened to me during and after the AF.

I have Joe to thank for it. Period!

I am exceedingly grateful that after moving here, I was able to get to know him as a friend.

Even so, I would still baffle him; like the time he caught me paying $4 for a beer.

Sincerely stunned, he said to me “Gary, there is no reason on earth to pay that much for any beer.”

I didn’t have the impression that he was cheap or anything … to Joe, beer was beer. And I was knucklehead.

Dear Barbara

Carolyn and I regret we are not able to celebrate Joe’s life with you in person. Please know you and family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Deepest sympathy

David E. Smith, CMSgt., USAF Ret.

May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make His face shine on you,

and be gracious to you;

May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace. Numbers 6.

Our prayers are with you always.

God Bless You,

Tim and Marjorie McNichols

Family, friends, fellow airmen.

On behalf of the enlisted men and women of Air Combat Command, please accept our heartfelt sympathies on the passing of a great American, patriot, airman and friend–Chief Joe Levigne. We are deeply saddened by the news of his loss, and it has sent shock waves through the many ACC workcenters and families Joe touched during his active duty years. Joe was a valued and highly respected member of our team, and his contributions to our command, AF, and nation were uncommonly significant and long-standing. To this day, he is fondly remembered for tackling with equal zeal the big rocks affecting the many, as well as the very personal individual issues facing a lone airman, and often his/her family. In each case, Joe not only summoned the time, and the energy to advocate the right thing, but most often won the necessary support to “git-r-done.” There is no higher testament to a man, and his good name.

Joe Lavigne–you were an airman of distinction, and a man of uncommon honor. You and your legacy of service will forever hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the Air Combat Command team, and those of their families.

Barb – Just as you and Joe have been there for so many others throughout your life together, my hope is that you will feel the prayers and thoughts of all of us lifting you up during your dark hours. Count me as one of the many who are shocked and saddened, and who will continue to pray for you.

Barb, my most sincere condolences on your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Joe was a great guy and he will be sadly missed. Sincerely, Annie Proctor

Barb — I am shocked and saddened by your loss, and will always have fond memories of Joe from our days working together at PACAF. He knew just how to keep us on course with his chiefly advice, or make us laugh with one of his great stories. Joe will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him, and certainly never forgotten.

Barb,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Jennifer and Jessica during this difficult time. Words cannot fully describe what the loss of Joe means to our Air Force family and like so many others, the two of you mean the world to me. I cannot thank you enough for all you’ve done throughout the years and when I think back on my military career and all I accomplished, I owe both of you a huge debt of gratitude.

Whether we were Volkmarching through the woods of Germany or losing golf balls in the jungles of Diego Garcia, the Chief took every opportunity to have fun, live life to the fullest, and provide some of the best mentorship I ever received. I will never forget that and have passed on his words of wisdom many times over. He will truly be missed and I hope you will find solace in the fact that his spirit lives on in those that he reached out and touched throughout the years.

If there is anything Joanne and I can do for you, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Chuck Ramey

I knew Joe in USAFE and have wonderful memories of that time. I can only hope all your memories will carry you through. Please accept my sincerest condolences.

Sarah Hood

This is really a shock and our thoughts are with you, Barb. Joe was really just an upstanding guy, honest to the core.

Dear Barb,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. As this guestbook testifies Joe will truly be missed by all. We add our condolences and prayers to hold you and your family up and help welcome Joe home.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Really enjoyed working with Joe over the past year, his wit and charm will be missed by all.

Barb,

Our hearts and prayers go out to you and your family. Joe’s strong commitment to service was equally balanced by his desire for him and all around him to have fun. Yes, he beat me profoundly one day on the golf course at Randolph, but I’m sure he’ll offer me a rematch someday on some heavenly links. I pray for God’s comfort, understanding and wisdom for you and your family.

Aloha,

Tom

Dear Barb,

Just wnted to let you know that it was a great honor to know Joe and the two of you together. Joe was a great father and set a good example of how to be a great husband. I will miss him dearly.

Barb,

Great talking to you today! I know Joe would only want us to celebrate his life as opposed to mourn his death. I will raise a glass to him tonight and think about our wonderful times together and our crazy Santa Skit at SOUTHCOM! Karen and I are here if EVER needed. Sean and Karen

Dear Barb,

Jim and I are deeply saddened by the news of Chief’s passing and we are sending love and hugs across the miles to you. We have fond memories of Chief from Barksdale and we will miss his feisty, energetic leadership. His dedication and selfless service were a wonderful example for us clueless LTs. :

You are very special to us, even though we are separated by distance. Please know that you will be in our prayers and thoughts.

Love,

Cyrena and Jim and Rebecca

My thoughts are with you and your family during this saddened time. Chief was a great man and a kindred soul to all of us. He will be missed but not forgotten.

Barb,

You will never hear all of the stories that Chief did to help us out in the field, but I wanted to pass this one on to you.

In 2004 my youngest son was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and I had orders to Florida. We found out that the base couldn’t provide services for us. Chief worked his magic and got me my final assignment to Little Rock AFB a Godsend for my little one. I found out later that Minot wanted me badly, but Chief did some research and found out they didn’t have a CF clinic for us. He always looked out for us, and I, for one, always admired him for that.

Thank you for sharing him with us.

God Bless.

Dear Barb,

I’m speechless. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Chief was my friend and mentor, and major part of who I am. He and I spent many days fishing and some of those days produced fish. From the first day we met, I was impressed with his love for the Air Force and Airmen. He spent many night in the Wing Commander’s office fighting for the enlisted men and women of the 2nd Bomb Wing. Chief will be truly missed.

Sincerely,

Sammy L. Ester

Barb

My heart is heavy for your loss and you are in my prayers. I only found out Friday that Joe was even sick. I am honored to have known such a fine man, dad, husband, PA, Chief. He had a big heart and made a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. I have many fond memories of our time together at USAFE, especially our Friday “morale moments” and trying to whip those young editors into shape at our annual editor’s workshops.

Mike

Dear Barb,

I’m only a friend of a friend, but Joe meant so much to Jen Thompson that she asked me to pray with her for him, which I did. Reading the notes here and knowing how Jen felt about Joe, I can tell he was such a special person and I’m sorry I never had a chance to meet him personally. I know what a vacuum is left in your life when such a large and dear part of it is suddenly gone. I will continue to remember you to the Lord and ask Him to fill in the vacuum with Himself in a very real and close way. There are so many scriptures talking about how tenderly the Lord deals with widows, so I know that He will be answering my prayers. Hang on to Him for your Life – when the emptiness presses in around you, when the quiet house feels too quiet, when your heart squeezes so hard with pain an aspirin can’t touch – hang on to Jesus and let Him hold you close.

Deepest Sympathies,

Jean Oakes

My thoughts and prayers and with you and your family.

We are praying for Barbara and Family, Love the McKinneys

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Joe was a leader and he will be missed!

Barb, you and your family are in our thoughts and in our prayers.

Terri McDuffie

from Barksdale AFB

Prayers to the family. I know Chief briefing was I was in Barksdale AFB, LA in 2004.

Barbara and family, Thank you for allowing Joe to serve this GREAT country! All who knew Joe remember his heart was always focused on the troops. You and your entire family will be in our thoughts and prayers. May God bless and comfort you and your family. Dave and Linda Popp, O Fallon, Ill.

Barb,

We served together at Hurlburt Field a “few years ago.” I was saddened to hear of the loss of your husband, a great Chief and leader, and undoubtedly a great father as well. You will be in the hearts and thoughts of many.

My sincerest condolence to you, the Lavigne family. Chief was a great mentor and friend; a true blessing to my life and many, many others. I pray that God gives you strength in your hour of need.

Dearest Barb,

So very sad to hear of your loss, please accept my condolences.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

May God bless you and keep you.

Barb,

I just received the email about Joe’s passing through the PA channels and wanted to offer my condolences. I had the pleasure to work with Joe when I first became a Command Chief…he was a wonderful role model and I am blessed for having known him. My prayers are with you and your family.

Vicki Orcutt

Barb, I just received word through the PA channels of Joe’s passing. I was speechless … he was such a wonderful Chief, always uplifting. My prayers are with you and your family.

“Words don’t have the power to soothe our troubled hearts, for time alone can ease the pain that life sometimes imparts …

But may these words of sympathy help show you that we care and may they somehow soften the sorrow you now bear.”

Barb, I was shocked to here about Joe and pray God’s blessing and peace for you and your family. It is sad when we lose a loved one, but wonderful to see the truly remarkable memories he has left so many people with. I enjoyed the talks we had during the many journalism workshops we worked together. He will truly be missed by all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dear Jr. Fish,

It is because of your husband Barb that he gave us our nicknames. He gave so much to so many and especially to you, his wife and best battle buddy a man could ever ask for. Your love was so evident for each other and words never had to be spoken to feel the deep and incredible connection between you and Joe. May his love continue to carry you through these difficult times. We all share in your loss.

Love, Sr. Fish

Lt Col Cindi Feldwisch

Barb,

The time I spent with Joe will always be very special to me and bring back tons of memories of my days at SAF/PA. Joe was the one MAJCOM Chief that kept this little SMSgt “Reserve” guy in check while still being a friend and mentor and was one of the first to offer a smile and congratulations when I made Chief. Out last time together was on the golf course in San Antonio where he was always happy. I miss him already. God be with you and the family.

My deepest condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. I’ll always remember Chief as a leader, mentor and friend who was always there no matter what you needed. He will be greatly missed.

Mary McHale

Barb — I am so sorry to hear of Joe’s passing. Joe was a great leader, friend and patriot. I’ll always fondly remember the good times we all had in USAFE. We laughed a lot, cried a little but most importantly we lived and worked as family. He’ll be greatly missed. Take care and may God bless. Bob Williams

Barb

I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the Chief. I know he touched and mentored many folks in our PA family, to include yours truly. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Blessings. Marie

Dear Barb: My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family during this saddest of times. Having suffered the loss of my beloved 33-year old son last month, I know that no words will be able to take away the pain. We may try to rationalize that they were wonderful human beings and completed their mission early, so they got promoted to angels and are now watching over us until we meet again when it’s our time, but we still miss them. I’m there with you sharing your pain.

I am terribly sorry to hear the passing of Chief Lavigne. I was honored to serve under him at Barksdale I was in Graphics where he awarded me my CCAF and I had the honor of designing his retirement program. Barb, our prayers are offered up for you and the family.

Deepest affections,

TSgt Jeremy Caskey

Barb — We are deeply saddened to hear of Joe’s passing. He is a part of so many fond memories of our time in Germany at USAFE/PA. He was a role model, leader, patriot — an Airman. We are thankful for the time we had with him. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Barb, I’m so sorry to hear about Joe’s passing. I have great memories of him as part of the Chief Group at Barksdale and working the issues for the Airman of the 2d Bomb Wing.

May God keep you and your family close during this time.

Barb,

I am sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

God Bless you and your family.

Barb,

I was deeply saddened by the news about Joe and his passing only serves to remind us of the preciousness of life. Libby and I pray your family finds peace in this journey. God bless you, the girls and the extended Lavigne family.

We lost a good guy, My heart weeps for you.

The Mapmaker

Barb,

My sincerest condolences on your loss. We will all miss Joe and his awesome personality and presence! Let me know if you need any assistance on any matter, I am standing by. Looking forward to seeing you back at SOUTHCOM soon.

Barb,

So very sorry to hear the news. I will always remember Joe as an easy going and wonderful person. A great leader of the enlisted force. Please try to stay strong and keep that wonderful smile. Please keep in touch…..prayers your way….Mark Long

Barb,

It is not the same here without Joe. He is greatly missed. We are all standing by to support you in any way we can.

We shared a lot of laughs and a few frustrations over the years, but I’m proud to have called you a friend and honored that you called me one. I’ll miss your laughter and advice. If there are any golf courses up there, save me a tee time.

Steve

Barb words cannot express our sorrow and concern foer you. In just a short time you both came to be very good friends. We will miss him.

Barb,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and yours during this sorrowful time. Joe was an inspiration to all with an enormous zest for life. He loved you dearly and while his time on earth may have been a bit short, I believe he got the most out of each and every day. I was proud to call him my friend, and I will miss him. May God bless you and your family and give you strength and peace.

Pam and I pray that you will find comfort in the coming days. Joe touched many lives during his time with us and we are better for it. I will miss Joe and the fun times we shared together. Barb, we pray that Joe watches over you and keeps you safe.

Please accept my deepest condolences for your family’s great loss. Joe will be most assuredly missed by the whole SOUTHCOM family. Again, my deepest condolences.

Most Respectfully,

Mike

Please accept my deepest condolences for your family’s great loss. Joe will be most assuredly missed by the whole SOUTHCOM family. Again, my deepest condolences.

Most Respectfully,

Mike

Barb, may God give you strength and comfort in this very difficult time. I was stunned and saddened to hear of Joe’s passing. I always admired him for his absolute devotion to our Air Force’s mission and for his honesty and integrity. All the best to you and Godspeed to Joe. God bless.

Barb:

You are in my thoughts and prayers and I feel honored to have known Chief. My heart breaks for you and I am honestly at a loss for words. If there is anything you need, please call.

Barb,

As one who knew Chief Lavigne and of his great work for our Air Force, I am deeply saddened by his passing. My prayer is that our loving Heavnly Father will bless you with the comfort you need as you mourn your great loss.

Barb, we used to joke about you and Joe being my “Air Force parents” and the sentiment has always stuck with me. Joe has always been an incredible mentor to me, and he will be greatly missed. I am so sorry for your loss. God bless you and your family.

Barb,

Bonnie and I were sorry to hear of the loss of Joe. He was a great person and we were blessed to have know him. He made a difference in all he did and our country and the United States Air Force are better because of his service. Pleae know that you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Barb,

Gene LaDoucer informed me this morning of Joe’s passing. I am truly sorry for your loss. I have wonderful memories of playing golf with Joe in Hawaii, and the counsel he always provided between holes. I’m a better person for having known you both and pray you take some comfort in knowing Joe’s is waiting for you in a better place. In time, hope you will contact me and let me know how you’re doing.

Dearest Barb,

Words cannot express our deepest sympathies for the passing of your beloved Joe. We never had the pleasure of spending time with the two of you, but we feel we know what a great man, husband ,father and friend he was to all concerned.

God has prepared a special place in His Kingdom for such a wonderful and caring man. He is happy and at peace now with no sufferings and waiting for his true love,you,to join him in the future. God has a plan for each of us and when He calls, us we will return to His Heavenly Home.

God Bless and keep your dear Joe and all concerned forever.

Our prayers will never stop for the two of you.

From Our Hearts,

Love,

Sharon and Glenn

Barb –

I was in Africa for the past 3 weeks, so I just got word. I wish the delay took some of the pain away, but Joe meant too much to me for that to ever happen. You and him are like family to me, even when we are so far apart for long periods of time. He was truly one of the best, a guy who cared about us out in the field. My prayers are always with you, Barb. For Joe, I lift up a final pint and cheer the memory of a great man and friend!

Bryan

Barb,

You and Joe … one dynamic duo! I will cherish my memories from Barksdale always. With all of my heart, I am deeply saddened … but forever grateful for knowing you both. Sincerely, Andrea Knudson

Barb – I just read about Joe’s passing in the Air Force Sergeant’s Association Magazine I received today. I am a retired member of the USAF Public Affairs community who worked with the Chief on a number of occasions and had the pleasure of visiting with him at several PA conferences during my career. Of all the senior NCO’s I can recall, Joe was perhaps the finest – the best example to our young troops of what character, honesty and integrity means. I truly respected Joe, as did many others, for his willingness to be a leader, and especially a friend. I send my heartfelt condolences…