Joe Allen Walters of Ragland, Alabama passed away on March 18, 2026, at home, on the same land where he was born. Joe was a good and kind and humble man. Yet those words are woefully inadequate to describe him. He was—genuinely—a good and kind and humble man. He loved his family and his friends, and they loved him in equal measure. Joe savored the simple pleasures in life. He loved cold watermelon, good chocolate cake, and graham crackers with milk. He loved driving his tractor and watching cattle graze in high grass. He loved golf and Alabama football. And he loved to laugh—a wonderful, heaving, wheezing laugh, smiling broadly, eyes twinkling, tears rolling down his cheeks. His illness robbed him of many things, but his laughter and good humor lasted until his final days. Sharing his mother’s peaceful disposition, Joe set an example of how to live selflessly and without pretension or complaint. He made his parents proud.

For 51 years Joe was a loving husband to his devoted wife, Deloma. He was a model father who loved his boys, praising their successes and forgiving their failures. Joe was honest and fair in all his business dealings. Where there was doubt or disagreement, he would voluntarily take the short straw. He was a peacemaker, a consensus builder, a person who led by example, never asking of others what he was unwilling to do himself. He also possessed a quiet courage that was easy to miss if you didn’t know him well. It was never more evident than during his final years battling Parkinson’s. With grace and humility, he endured the physical and emotional pain of his faculties fading away. He bore this suffering with dignity and without complaint.

Joe never sought attention or glory. His death won’t ripple beyond the pool of people who knew him. But for those of us who had the great fortune to know him well, he was a monumental figure. Where there is good in the world, it is because of people like Joe. Oh, how we will miss him.

Joe is survived by his wife of 51 years, Deloma Walters; his sons, Jason (Lara) and Scotty; his granddaughters Anne Frances, Catherine and Maelee; his brother Jim Weiss (Corinne); and his niece, Jamey Lyons (Mark). He is preceded in death by his parents, J.B. and Catherine Walters.

Visitation will be at Usrey Funeral Home from 1:15 – 2:00 on Friday, March 20, with a short memorial service to follow at 2:00. There will not be a graveside service. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Hardin’s Chapel Church. The family would like to express their deepest appreciation for the many friends who offered assistance during Joe’s illness, as well as the nurses and caregivers who doted on him and brightened his days. You are truly angels. We will be forever grateful.

Condolences may be offered online at www.usreyfuneralhome.com.

Usrey Funeral Home – Pell City is assisting the family.