Joseph Richard "Joey" Camara Jr.

Joseph (Joe) Camara passed suddenly on the evening of Nov. 24, 2022, in Marana, AZ. He was born July 14, 1946, in Hanford, CA to Joe R. and Mary (Brazil) Camara. Joe moved with his parents and older brother Tom from Lemoore to Pismo Beach in 1947. He attended Judkins and Margaret Harloe Elementary schools, Orchard St. Junior High, and graduated from Arroyo Grande High School in 1964. He was a gifted athlete, who played multiple sports growing up, but shined at baseball. After high school, he attended Hancock and later Cuesta College. He played baseball at both and was MVP of Cuesta’s first baseball team in 1966 under Coach Carmen Mauro. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in August 1966 and served 1 year as a medic in Vietnam before being honorably discharged in 1968. He then worked several jobs in the building trades before getting into the ceramic tile trade. He worked for the original owner of San Luis Tile Co., Inc. in Shell Beach, and along with his former wife Pam, bought the business with his father, Joe Sr. in 1973. His brother, Jim, joined the business in 1978. He continued setting tile for the next 31 years, until retiring in 2007, and moving to Marana, AZ. He was very active in the tennis, water volleyball, and pickleball community in Marana, where he was well-known for his competitive spirit.  He is survived by his daughter Kelli Camara of Soquel, brothers Tom (Diane) Camara of Bakersfield, and Jim Camara of Arroyo Grande; his grandchildren Isabelle Lasher and Seth Lasher, both of Soquel, and his partner, Hope Forrest, of Tucson, AZ. As per Joe’s wishes, no services are planned. An informal gathering will be held in Arroyo Grande, CA, later this year.