Daniel Joseph "Joe" Dobski

Celebration of Life for Daniel Joseph “Joe” Dobski

Daniel Joseph “Joe” Dobski, 55, of South Bend, IN, passed away peacefully this last April 29, 2023 at Memorial Hospital, following an illness. 

While we are saddened by Joe’s death, his family wants to celebrate Joe’s life. And it was a life that was lived on Joe’s terms. It was characterized by his loyalty to his fellow firefighters, his friends, and his family and marked by an utterly unique sense of humor. 

To commemorate that life, we invite all of those who knew and loved Joe Dobski to join us at the South Bend Firefighters Union Hall (4025 Lincoln Way West, SB, IN 46628) on Saturday, July 15th from 12:00-3:00. There we look forward to sharing memories of a son, brother, friend, and father who meant so much to all of us. Food and refreshments will be made available.

Joe’s family, working with the Irish Youth Hockey League in South Bend, IN, has established the following link for gifts to be made in Joe’s honor to help grow the sport that he loved:  https://bit.ly/dobskimemorial

Daniel Joseph “Joe” Dobski, 55, of South Bend, IN, passed away at 8:40 a.m. Saturday, April 29, 2023 at Memorial Hospital, following an illness.

Joe was born on May 20 1967 to Bernard J. “Bernie”, Jr. and Michaele “Mikki” (Hettinghouse) Dobski in South Bend, IN, and lived there his entire life. He was preceded in death by his mother and is survived by his father; his daughter, Grace Dobski of South Bend, IN; his son, Noah Dobski of South Bend, IN; a sister, Melodi (Mike) Greene of Trafalgar, IN; two brothers, Matthew (Amy) Dobski of Nashua, NH; BJ Dobski of Worcester, MA; his nephews Oliver, Lewis, and Justin; and his nieces Nora, Ava, and Paloma.

Joe attended Holy Cross grade school, St. Joseph’s High School (’85), and Indiana University. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Joe joined the South Bend Fire Department on July 12, 1995 and retired on May 3, 2022. Joe truly loved being a firefighter and he dedicated his nearly three decades on the job to mentoring his younger colleagues.

Joe enjoyed fishing and was an avid sports fan, cheering for the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Cubs, and Notre Dame. But it was hockey that was his greatest passion, playing the game his entire life. As a child and an adult, he was always ready to be at the rink.   Joe also loved music, especially the Grateful Dead, and he shared that love freely with friends and family. 

Those who knew Joe will remember someone who lived life insistently and unequivocally on his own terms. He held true to what he believed; and what he thought, he spoke. They will also know him as a loyal son, brother, father, and friend. They will recall his unique sense of humor and that when he smiled, he did so with his whole face. He was loved and he will be missed. 

In lieu of a funeral, the family will plan a commemoration of Joe’s life at a later date. 

Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, IN is handling arrangements.  To send online condolences, please visit www.kaniewski.com.

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