Joel Daniel Lashley, 64, of Hartland, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly from a cardiac event on December 9, 2025. His loss is felt deeply by all who knew and loved him.

Biographical Information
Joel was born on August 4, 1961, to Anna Rae (Baker) Lashley and Norman Dale Lashley. He grew up alongside his siblings, Angela and Rickey, in a childhood filled with imagination and play. As a boy, he loved God’s creation and being outdoors, spending long days swimming in creeks and lakes and playing with his trucks and army men.
Joel was a devoted and supportive father and husband. He is survived by his son, Colin, whom he loved deeply and of whom he was immensely proud. He is further survived by his loving wife, Amanda, a companion who shared his joy, his silliness, and his sense of wonder. Together, Joel and Amanda built a life full of laughter, playfulness, and deep affection.
Professionally, Joel was widely respected as an expert in conflict management, violence prevention, and healthcare security. A keen student of human behavior, he had an extraordinary gift for talking with people in a way that made them feel heard, safe, and respected. He loved Maya Angelou’s words: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Joel knew the importance of treating others with dignity, and he devoted his career to helping people stay safe, both physically and emotionally, by teaching practical, compassionate approaches to some of life’s most difficult moments. Over the course of his career, Joel served in several roles supporting safety and communication across healthcare and public service settings, most recently working with Vistelar, LLC.

Joel was also a gifted writer and thinker. He authored multiple articles and books about communicating effectively and supporting others experiencing cognitive challenges. His work reflected his deep care for people and his lifelong commitment to helping others feel safe and understood.

Personal Characteristics
Joel inspired a profound sense of safety in those around him. His presence was like a warm teddy bear, comforting, steady, and reassuring. When we think of Joel, joy and laughter come immediately to mind. He loved to laugh and get everyone else laughing too.

Joel was known for his remarkable sense of humor. He was truly hysterical, and his impressions of famous actors and musicians were unforgettable. He could fi ll a room with laughter in an instant, using wit and
playfulness to break tension and bring people together. Joel was deeply patient and gentle. He took time with people, listened carefully, and met them with kindness, even in difficult moments.

With Amanda, that joy was turned up even more. Together they were playful, happy, and wonderfully silly, partners in laughter as much as in life. They shared inside jokes, bursts of giggles, and moments of childlike fun that could brighten any room they walked into. Their relationship was marked by teasing smiles, shared stories, and the kind of easy companionship that made others feel the warmth between them.
Joel loved stories. He was a collector of stories from both recent and ancient history, absorbing wisdom through the tales he studied and shared. He knew that the best teachers use stories to open minds and hearts, and he patterned his own teaching in that way. He drew inspiration from great storytellers like Jesus of Nazareth, Aesop, and Socrates, enjoying their illuminating parables, fables, and analogies.

Joel’s Christian faith was central to who he was and how he treated others. It shaped his compassion, his commitment to dignity, and his desire to care for people in both word and action. In his own lectures and conversations, Joel wove in meaningful stories and anecdotes from his own life. He loved teaching and learning and he had a rare gift for helping others reflect deeply. Joel was profoundly thoughtful, and he knew how to invite that same thoughtfulness in the people he taught and loved.

Family and Survivors
Joel is survived by his beloved wife, Amanda, and his treasured son, Colin. He is also survived by his siblings, Angela (Jeffrey) and Rickey (Marilyn), who will forever cherish their memories of growing up and laughing with him. Joel was preceded in death by his parents, Anna Rae and Norman Dale, who are already in heaven.

He will be deeply missed by his nieces and nephews, Danielle, Jonathan, Justin, Jessica, and Gregory, as well as his special godchildren, many extended family members, friends, and colleagues whose lives were touched by his kindness and wisdom, Dawn, Brett, Benjamin, Joseph, Annabelle, Ariel, Rachel, Ella, Charley, Anissa, Rodney, Allen, Dale, Phil, Ivory, Bill, Brandon, Sara, Landon, Tina, Harry, Gary, Pastor Florin, Agape Church Family, and so many more.

Service Information
A celebration of Joel’s life will be held on Saturday, January 10th, at Agape Community Church, located at 449 W Wisconsin Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072. Visitation: 9:30 AM · Service: 11:30 AM · Lunch and gathering to follow. The service will be officiated by Rev. Dr. Florin Docea. All who knew and loved Joel are welcome to attend as we gather to honor his life, his laughter, and the light he brought into the world.

Special Messages and Memorial Contributions
In lieu of flowers, Amanda warmly invites all who knew Joel to share their stories, whether they are memories of time spent with him or stories he once shared that left an imprint. Joel believed in the power of storytelling to teach, to heal, and to connect, and gathering these memories will help carry forward the wisdom, joy, and laughter he brought into the world.
Cards and letters containing stories, reflections, or words of comfort may be sent to Agape Community Church, where they will be lovingly compiled into a collection that honors Joel’s life and legacy.

For those who feel moved to give in Joel’s memory, donations may be made to Agape Community Church, in support of the community that meant so much to him and Amanda.