Joseph F. Halbe

Joe Halbe passed away on January 22, 2020 at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living in Columbia, Maryland from a brain tumor.

Joe was born. In Girardville, Pennsylvania on February 13, 1935 to Fred and Margaret (Mahoney) Halbe.  He was the youngest of six children and attended grade school and high school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Girardville.  After graduation he moved to Maryland and was employed by the Washington, D.C. Public Library.  After working at the library for a few years he enlisted in the United States Army.  He attended Army Language School in California and was subsequently stationed in Germany.  After his honorable discharge from the Army he began his career at the Central Intelligence Agency.  While employed by the CIA Joe travelled extensively, and had long term assignments in Vienna, Austria and Zanzibar, Tanzania, as well as a three month assignment in Norway towards the end of his career.  After retiring from the CIA, he enjoyed life as a retiree for a couple years before beginning a second career with MSM Security Services in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Joe resided in Glenn Dale, Maryland, and was enjoying his second retirement until the diagnosis of a Glioblastoma brain tumor in 2019 necessitated his move to assisted living, where until recently he was still able to participate in activities that they offered.  Joe enjoyed opera, model railroading, traveling, and languages.   He was fluent in German and Czech and also spoke Swahili.  He was also a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Maryland Auxiliary # 341. 

Joe was an active member of Ascension Catholic Church in Bowie where he served as a lector at morning Mass as well as a member of the Collection Counting Team.  Joe’s Catholic faith was strong and he owned and read many books and articles on Catholicism.  

In addition to his parents, Joe was predeceased by brothers Francis, Charles, and John.  He was also predeceased by a niece and a nephew as well as a brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law and cousins who he was extremely close to.

He is survived by a brother Bill of Greenbelt, Maryland, a sister Betty Dolan of New Carrollton, Maryland as well as nieces and nephews.  He is also survived by many close friends who supported him during his illness.

At Joe’s request there will be no viewing.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.at Ascension Catholic Church, 12700 Lanham Severn Road, Bowie, Maryland.  Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery, 8000 Woodward Road, Clinton, Maryland on January 30, 2020 at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe’s memory to Gilchrest Hospice, 11311 McCormick Road, Ste. 350, Hunt Valley, Maryland. 21031.