Joe Streber, Rest in peace
CEDAR Outreach recently lost a valuable member of our team. Below is an obituary we were given permission by his family to share, along with photos we have of him at CEDAR Outreach events.
Hearthstone Place recently lost a key member of our community. It is with great sadness that we share the news of Joe Streber’s sudden passing. Joe was a long time (4 years +) Hearthstone resident who was a vital component of our Hearthstone community.
You may remember him for his fantastic Christmas art, which Hearthstone regularly entered into the Agency door decorating competition. Each year, Joe would develop a new theme and create these beautiful images for us.
In addition to being our resident artist, Joe was quick to support staff in many other ways. He could often be seen sweeping the building, tidying up the parking lot and even supporting staff with their car troubles. He had a calm and kind demeanor and often served as a bridge, or mediator, to soothe any inter-personal conflicts within the building.
He had recently secured employment as a peer outreach worker with one of our partner organizations, CEDAR Outreach. He brought his stable energy to the Cabin, as a harm reduction worker, and worked diligently at the EWR cooling tents that were set up on Gladys Avenue during this summer’s heat wave. He was so very proud to have this opportunity to give back to his community and to be part of a team. He regularly shared how much it meant to him that he had been trusted with this employment.
His selfless and caring personality left ripple effects among many stakeholders, and those still living on the street. He was committed to caring for his older mother and was a self-described “mama’s boy” who spent his spare time working on his motorbike or creating art. The coroner has not yet provided us with a cause of death, but we believe Joe died due to the poisoned drug supply. This is not what defined Joe. We remember him as a valued member of our community and collectively mourn his loss.
