Remembering Josh
After Josh passed, prematurely, on Feb. 15, 2013, family and friends shared an outpouring of feelings. He’d been a big presence in their lives. Many still feel his presence very strongly. He lives on in their memories, and is missed every day.
As the family wrote in his obituary: “When Josh entered the room there was no mistaking he was there. Whether he announced he had arrived or you felt his loving energy, his presence was always larger than life — bigger than any room could contain.”
Each of Josh’s Celebration of Life ceremonies — one in San Diego, the other in Anchorage — were well attended by family and friends.
Every Feb. 15, a Beach Memorial is held for Josh at Del Mar Dog Beach, in San Diego, which he frequented with his beloved bulldog, Max.
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A reproduction of Josh's clover tattoo adorns a plaque at the Josh Montoya House, a residential and treatment program for young drug offenders, in Reno.
Tim got a clover tattoo in the design of Josh's tattoo. Tim's tattoo contains Josh's ashes.
Tim's ring bears cremation diamonds. The white diamond contains his mother, Sherry's, ashes. The green diamond contains Josh's ashes.
Stacie's left wrist bears a tattoo of Josh's name.
Stacie had this painting commissioned of Josh's episode reviving a hummingbird that had flown into his house's window and been knocked out, two weeks before he passed.
Josh holding the hummingbird that he revived, after it flew into his house's window.
Brooke, 4 at the time, dictated this note to her babysitter, six months after her father, Josh, passed in 2013. Brooke included the note with a present to send to him in heaven. Stacie has held onto the present, and still hasn't unwrapped it.
Josh's friend Brian McKinnon wearing an autographed Celtics hat outside Staples Center, where he got it autographed by Celtics star Paul Pierce, in honor of Josh, who'd passed, and was a huge Celtics fan, and the hat had been his.
Josh, on his speedboat, in his Boston Celtics hat and jersey.
The Celebration of Life invitation for for first of two such events, to remember Josh. This one was in the San Diego area.
The Celebration of Life invitation for Josh, for the second of two such events, this one in Anchorage, Alaska.
Inscriptions from family members Tom, Penny, Chadd, Stephen and Michele, in the inscriptions book at Josh's Celebration of Life.
Balloons are released into the air at Josh's Celebration celebration of life, in San Diego. They are the colors of the Boston Celtics, Josh's favorite team.
Balloons released at an annual Beach Memorial for Josh, at Del Mar Dog Beach, in San Diego.
Stacie holds an urn with Josh's ashes at the Beach Memorial in February 2024.
Kaylynn, Penny and Bill Kelly, at the Beach Memorial for Josh, February 2024.
Tim raising Josh's urn to the sky at an annual Beach Memorial.
Inscription on Josh's urn.
Beach Memorial for Josh.Left, Ben, Niki, Hattie, Sevi, Michele; Stephen, Chance, Aubrey, Bud Coloroso's girlfriend, Bud Coloroso.
Attendees in a circle raising arms to the sky at a Beach Memorial for Josh.
People circled at a Beach Memorial for Josh.
"I Heart U, Josh," written in the at an annual Beach Memorial for Josh.
Stacie keeps a collection of Josh's white shoes.