Joseph Simmon Mooneyham Jr.

Joseph “Joe” Simmon Mooneyham Jr. passed away on July 27 in his home in Raleigh. Joe was born in Raleigh on April 7, 1944, and raised in Garner. He graduated from Garner High School in 1962, and then went on to enjoy a distinguished career in the Army National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1988 after more than 26 years of military service. During his service, he was a helicopter pilot who flew aircraft including the UH-1 “Huey” Iroquois and AH-64 Apache, leading units out of the Aviation Flight Facility No. 1 in Morrisville. After his military retirement, Joe transitioned from the Army National Guard to Martin Marietta Corporation, where he continued working closely with Army combat helicopter units as a civilian contractor. In that role, he spent time in Saudi Arabia assisting Apache helicopter units as part of Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

While with Martin Marietta, Joe moved to South Korea. His love of golf took him to Thailand and its picturesque courses during that time, where he met a number of expatriates and eventually retired to the country for several years. It was there that he met his wife, Jessica. Joe returned to the United States with Jessica in 2016, where she became a citizen in 2021. In addition to his love of golf, Joe was an avid fisherman. He owned several fishing boats over his lifetime and particularly enjoyed bass fishing.

Joe was preceded in death by a daughter, Debbie Faucette; and his parents, Joseph (Sr.) and Frances Mooneyham. He is survived by his wife, Jessica Mooneyham; his brother, Steve Mooneyham; a son, Scott Mooneyham, and his wife, Catherine; a daughter, Kristi Monahan, and her husband, Dan; a son, Jason Mooneyham, and his wife, Lara; and grandsons Will Mooneyham, Matt Mooneyham, Michael Monahan, Justin Mooneyham and Jameson Mooneyham.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. at Montlawn Funeral Home. Memorial Services will follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Montlawn Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ed Stephenson officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorial donations to Peak Lab Rescue, Apex, N.C.