In an effort half a century ago to bring the national government closer to Americans and prevent their looking exclusively to Washington for remedies, officials set up Federal Executive Boards across the United States to oversee the work of the various federal agencies in 10 of the country’s regions.
Starting in the late 1970s, Joe Juska was executive director of Atlanta’s board, coordinating for 20 years the activities of agency heads here who supervised 40,000 federal employees in metro Atlanta.
In 1997, Vice President Al Gore presented Mr. Juska with the Hammer Award, an honor instituted during the Clinton administration to recognize federal employees who devise improved ways to serve the public at less cost to taxpayers.
Gordon Sherman of Atlanta, former chairman of the Federal Executive Board, said Mr. Juska was a diligent, innovative leader who played an important role in three initiatives:
- Establishing a volunteer security force for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics made up of 1,300 civilian federal employees.
- Standardizing the application form for people seeking federal, state and local government benefits.
- Streamlining federal employee fund drives for worthy causes such as the United Way.
“Joe got his start in government as a public affairs spokesman, a job he was well qualified for -- he was a very personable guy,” Mr. Sherman said.
Joseph Justin Juska, 75, died Dec. 14 at his Avondale Estates residence following a stroke. His memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lowe Gallery in the Invesco Tower, 1555 Peachtree St. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in his memory be made to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in care of Brother Callistus, 2625 Highway 212 S.W., Conyers, GA 30094. A.S. Turner & Son funeral home is in charge of arrangements.
His wife, Jurate Juska, said her husband was an insatiable reader who thrived on a quest for truth and an exploration of ideas.
“Joe had a library of 30,000 books, many of them on philosophy, spirituality and psychology,” she said. “His ambition in retirement was to read all the ones he hadn’t finished. He was a walking encyclopedia on many subjects, even the arts and sports.”
He also enjoyed Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concerts and local dramatic productions. “Joe loved Shakespeare’s plays so much,” she said,” that the two of us once saw three of them in one day at an Alabama festival.”
Mr. Juska was a fan of the Atlanta Ballet as well, according to a longtime friend, Dr. Jacquie Damgaard of Atlanta. “I found out Joe even performed in ballet at the same time he was playing high school football and doing weightlifting. It just goes to show how multifaceted he was.”
Mrs. Juska said her husband met Mikhail Gorbachev at an international conference in Atlanta in 1992 and thanked him personally for the part he played in liberating Lithuania, the land of Mr. Juska’s forebears. His expression of gratitude surprised the former Soviet leader but pleased him, she said.
Four years later, Mr. Juska served as an assistant mission chief hosting Lithuanian athletes taking part in the Atlanta Olympics.
Survivors also include a son, Andy Juska of Chester, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Dana Dauderis of Montreal; two stepsons, Jamie Dauderis of Ocklawaha, Fla., and Andrew Dauderis of Daytona Beach, Fla.; a sister, Rita Liston of Oakland, Calif.; a brother, Frank Juska of Orvieto, Italy; two grandchildren; and eight stepgrandchildren.
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