Joseph Paul Biniek Sr., 97, of Avon, Minnesota, born June 23, 1922 and died on May 2, 2020 in Prince William, VA.  Joe was the beloved husband for 66 years to the late Margaret (Peggy) Christine Krantz Biniek. Joe and his wife Peggy were active in the church, gardening (growing food for their 6 kids and neighbors along with violets and roses), genealogical research and were members of the Genealogical Society of Sarasota, Florida.  He was preceded in death by his parents Peter Biniek and Mary Cichy Biniek, his brother Bernard (Eleanor), Robert (Lois), John, Leonard, and sisters Eleanor and Martha.  Survived by his brother George (Dorothy) Biniek of Avon, MN.  Dedicated father to Reverend Joseph Paul Jr., Michael John (Susan), Stephen Frederick (Patty), Patrick Leahy (Mary), Katherine Mary (Ed LaVallee), and his daughter the late Margaret (Meg) Christine Biniek.

Joe was a poor farm boy who attended the one room schoolhouse in District 174, until he attended Holdingford High School.  Garrison Keillor stated "Holdingford is the town that looks most like woebegone".  Joe enjoyed telling people that he graduated from Lake Woebegone High School.  Joe was in the Naval Reserve as a Petty Officer during W.W. II.  Graduated with a BS in Soils and Agronomy in 2 years (1947-1949) and in 1960 a MS degree in Economics, both from University of Minnesota.  Joe was an agronomist and an economist. He retired in 1982 after 20 years of service with the Department of Agriculture and 10 years as a Specialist in Environmental Economics with the Congressional Research Service in the Library of Congress.  Joe was the author of 25 Committee Prints and hundreds of papers.  He was the author of 3 major genealogical works: Bieniek , A Family Genealogy  1725-1988;  Krantz Stemma 1996; The Leahy Family History. 1999

No service at this time, a celebration of Joe's life will be held later followed by internment at St. Mary's Cemetery in Alexandria, VA. Memorial contributions may be sent to So Others Might Eat (SOME) www.some.org