Joshua Hepler End

Joshua Hepler End, age 42, died Christmas night at Providence Saint Mary’s Medical Center with his parents Kelly and Walt End by his side.  He was wearing a favorite t-shirt that said “You ‘all Need Jesus”.

He was born on March 29, 1980, in Frankfurt, Germany, with Spina Bifida, hydrocephalus, paraplegia and vision challenges.

A gregarious, social spirit, Josh loved coffee, karaoke, cooking shows, his many friends and family, watching football and informational documentaries, gardening in his many porch pots, feeding and watching birds, Sobriety, working at Saint Mary’s, funny t-shirts and Jesus!

As a kid Josh played t-ball, coached pitched baseball, wheelchair basketball, was on both the Fort Lewis Dolphin swim team, the Walla Walla swim team, the Pioneer tennis team, played trombone and boxed at the Walla Walla Boxing Club.

In Middle School, through Parent-to-Parent, Josh began visiting school classrooms all over Walla Walla and College Place to help educate students about Spina Bifida. Josh loved answering the students’ questions and talking about his abilities.  He also taught swim lessons to disabled children while in High School at the YMCA.

Summer jobs included working as a candy-striper at Madigan Army Medical Center, a receptionist at the Center for Sharing, and employment at a downtown Christian radio station.

After graduating from WWHS, Josh went to WWCC for two years before joining AmeriCorps and training through Western Washington University to work as a teachers’ aid at Edison Elementary.

After a lengthy hospitalization, which was all too common, Josh joined the staff of the Teen Center. He was the only staff member who also worked with the drug and alcohol group, as he was clean and sober and tobacco free, proudly in recovery himself, with lots to contribute by his own story.

During his last years, Josh was a member of the Walla Walla Accessible Community Advisory Committee providing input to improve the ambulatory abilities for those like himself around the city of Walla Walla.

When Josh became too medically fragile to work full time, he began part time work at the front desk at Saint Mary’s Medical Center, arguably his favorite position ever. The SMMC staff provided friendship, care, and championed his last months and days with profound compassion.

Josh is survived by his parents, Kelly and Walt End, his sister, Joan End, his niece, Viva Berkey, his nephew, Osiris Berkey, and many End, Hepler, Grimes and Shipman aunts, uncles and cousins. His friends and recovery community were chosen family.

The unsung heroes of Josh’s story are the many caregivers and emergency workers who showed up day and night for years to assist Josh’s deep desire to remain in his beautiful Housing Authority apartment.   Similarly, the staff of the Walla Walla Housing Authorities provided Josh with 23 years of exceptional housing and decades of kindnesses.

A memorial potluck gathering is planned for March 4, 2023, at his folk’s house from noon until 4pm.  (2030 Sunbar Street, in WW) Friends may choose one of Josh’s funny t-shirts to take home with them as a memento!

Donations may be made to the Walla Walla Music Boosters in Josh’s honor.  They can be mailed to 906 Chase, Walla Walla, WA 99362; or made at paypal.me/wwmusicboosters or at facebook.com/wwmusicboosters.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home. Friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.