Joey Janisheck memoji
JOEY JANISHECK
BUILDER•WRITER•MAKER

Remembering Joe Rank

Remembering Joe Rank
joe-rank
joule-software
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1990s
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Remembering Joe Rank

OCTOBER 11, 2026

I was thinking about Joe Rank today. I wondered if I had any photos of him. I found a handful.

Joe and I worked together at a few different companies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. We even shared an office for a little while. He was in the office the day I found out my brother was sick. Some days stick with you. Joe is part of that one.

He was easily the smartest of all the developers I worked with.

Joe passed in 2008 from ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. He fought it for seven years. I feel like he knew about it for years before the rest of us found out. He wasn't the type of guy to do a lot of small talk. It is a cruel disease. It left his brain intact and slowly took away so much else of him.

That was a long time ago. His kids are all adults now. It occurred to me today that they didn't get to know him as a man. The guy at work. The guy on the court after hours. So here are some random photos.

At the Desk

Friday, January 4, 2002 · 2:32 PM

A developer in a blue pullover sitting at a corner desk working on a CRT monitor, with a smiley face mug and bookshelves nearby

Hoops After Work

Wednesday, August 21, 2002 · 6:03 – 6:05 PM

Six coworkers standing around an outdoor basketball court after work, one holding the ball
A shirtless player driving to the basket during a pickup game while others defend Players spread across an outdoor court mid-game as one throws a pass

Game Night at My House

Wednesday, June 4, 2003 · 8:13 – 9:24 PM

Two guys sitting on a living room floor playing NBA Street on a big rear-projection TV, with cake plates on the coffee table A group of friends hanging out around a backyard pool at night under a patio umbrella

Joe's Birthday

Saturday, June 14, 2003 · 10:41 AM – 1:26 PM

A sheet cake printed with a family portrait and the words Happy Birthday Joe Joe relaxing in a green Adirondack chair at his backyard birthday party, with friends and a keg nearby
Three friends with their arms around each other holding cups at a backyard party Two guys sitting in lawn chairs in the grass eating and drinking
A small group talking in the backyard under the trees A little girl in a flowered dress getting her hair bow fixed while a man laughs in a lawn chair
A young boy in a green shirt sitting on the floor with a wooden train set Joe at the keg with a friend in a red striped shirt at his backyard birthday party

Here is his obituary. I didn't go to his funeral. I regret that. I hadn't been to a funeral yet at that point in my life, and death was something I didn't know how to deal with. If Joe could see me typing this, he'd definitely have something to say.

He was a good man. Life is hard. It doesn't stop moving. I'm just happy to have known the guy.

I hope Linda and the kids see these.