It feels like a week of loss in the wood flooring industry. Less than a day after losing one of the icons of the wood flooring industry, Jack Coates (you can click here to read about Jack’s life and his legacy in the wood flooring industry), we lost another man who had done much for the wood flooring industry, Joe Boone Jr.
Joe passed away on Saturday at the age of 58. (You can read his online obituary here.) After growing up in the Boone family business, Joe made a name for himself in the industry with his passion, creativity and talent. He was a tireless advocate for NWFA over the years, serving on several committees (including our own Magazine Committee), teaching at schools and doing demonstrations at the conventions. Always willing to share his wood flooring knowledge, he became known as the go-to man for painting and faux-finishing on wood floors (you can see the articles he wrote for us on his techniques here and here).
Countless times over the years Joe called me on the phone with a new topic for a potential article or an interesting source—always trying to help me, the magazine and the industry. More than anything I will remember him for his larger-than-life enthusiasm, his creative ideas and his friendly good nature. Somehow the industry just won’t seem the same without him. Rest in peace, Joe, you will be missed.