Joseph “Joe” Murguia, 97, of Zwingle, Iowa, passed away quietly at home on August 25, 2026.

According to his wishes, there will be no public services. A private family celebration of life will be at a later date. Burial will be at a later date at Assumption Cemetery in Zwingle.

Joseph was born on May 1, 1929, in West Burlington, Iowa, the son of Eliseo Murguia and Ignacia Rodriguez. As a young man, he worked at Sterzings Potato chip factory, worked for the railroad, was a taxi driver, and at JI Case company. He was involved in body building, weightlifting, Golden glove boxing, and served in the Iowa National Guard. In 1949, he married Cheryl Turner of Burlington and together they had two daughters. Besides graduating from Burlington High School, he graduated from the School of Radiology in Iowa City and worked at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque as a Radiological technologist for 10 years. He then worked at John Deere as chief Metallurgical technician. He married Carol Kemerer from Zwingle, in 1970. Together, they bought a farm/ranch in that area, where they raised horses, beef cattle, row crops and ten dogs. He loved all animals, country life, and was an avid water-skier and participated in Slalom ski competitions throughout the U. S. He was a member of the Dubuque and Bellevue water ski clubs for many years.

He was a lifetime member of the YMCA and enjoyed working in the Wellness Program as a Fitness Specialist, certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine American Council on exercise. He was on the Sundown ski patrol and was on the Solid Steel Dragon boat team, competing locally as well as internationally in Germany, Canada and Knottingham, England, where the team medaled in second and third places.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; two daughters, Cindy Murguia of Dubuque and Julie Murguia of Ankeny; four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren; one sister; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers; and five sisters.

A very special thank you to No Place Like Home and all the caregivers for their excellent care, Dr Andrea Ries and to Care Initiatives Hospice in Manchester with a special thank you to Trish (his main Hospice nurse) and Angie (Hospice aide) for their exceptional professionalism, compassion and care