Joseph Lee Van Alstine

Joseph Lee Van Alstine, lovingly known as Joey, and as “Pete” to his fiancé and best friend of 14 years, Leah Shiver, passed away on August 21, 2026, at the age of 38. Joey was born on January 13, 1988, in Thomasville, Georgia, where he was also raised.

Although he had called Florida home for the past 13 years, Thomasville never stopped being home in Joey’s heart. He spoke often and lovingly of his family, his friends, and the countless stories and memories that came from his childhood there. No matter how far life took him, a piece of Joey always remained in Thomasville.

Joey was the kind of person who made the world feel a little lighter simply by being in it. He was genuine, funny, kind-hearted, and full of life. He was humble and never seemed to realize just how deeply he was loved or how profoundly he touched the lives of others. Those who worked alongside him and those fortunate enough to call him a friend have described him as a breath of fresh air, someone with the biggest heart, someone who never seemed to have a bad thing to say about anyone, and perhaps most simply, someone who was incredibly easy to love. And he truly was. Joey had an extraordinary ability to make people smile and laugh. He gave joy freely and never seemed to realize just how much joy he gave to others. He was humble in a way that made it difficult for him to see what everyone else could see so clearly: how deeply he was loved. He spent so much of his life caring about other people that he never stopped to measure the impact he was having on them.

His greatest loves were his family, the people he cared for, and, of course, fishing. Joey loved to fish. In fact, it sometimes seemed as though he was happiest with a fishing rod in his hand and the opportunity to cast one more time. Anyone who ever heard Joey say, “Let me cast one more time and then we’ll go,” probably learned very quickly that “one more time” could mean another four hours. Fishing wasn't simply a hobby to Joey; it was one of the places where he found genuine happiness, peace, and joy.

When he couldn't fish, music filled that space. Joey loved music in every form and listened to just about every genre imaginable. Music was a language he understood deeply, and it was something he shared especially with his family. Joey and Leah Shiver were not only fiancé and fiancée; they were best friends. For 14 years, they shared a life in which there was very little they didn't know about one another. They sang together. They danced together in the kitchen more times than could ever be counted. Joey always knew that when he sang, Leah’s entire world seemed to light up.Their love was not built only in the easy moments. They walked through some of life’s hardest seasons side by side, facing the difficult days together and celebrating the good ones just as fiercely. When one of them was struggling, the other was there. When life became overwhelming, they leaned on one another. They supported each other through every obstacle, every heartbreak, every uncertainty, and every challenge life placed in their path. They knew each other’s fears, dreams, strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between, and they loved each other through all of it.Their love was unconditional. It was the kind of love that didn't disappear when life became difficult; it became stronger. They didn't simply share 14 years together, they built a life together, grew together, and became part of one another in a way that cannot be measured by time alone. Joey was Leah’s fiancé, but he was also her best friend, her confidant, her home, and the person who had walked beside her through some of the hardest moments of her life. And Leah was that person for Joey.They chose one another over and over again, through the beautiful moments and the painful ones, always finding their way back to each other. Their story was one of friendship, laughter, music, unwavering support, and a love that remained steadfast through life's toughest storms.

One of the most extraordinary bonds in Joey’s life was the one he shared with his older “little” brother, David Kimmons. David was the person Joey turned to when he was happy and wanted to share his joy, when he felt alone, when he needed someone to listen, when he wanted advice, or sometimes when he simply wanted to talk for hours. David always showed up for Joey. It didn't matter where life or work had taken David…even if showing up meant driving across state lines. Joey never had to explain why. He never had to ask twice. David never needed all the details to know that his brother needed him. Joey simply knew that David was someone he could count on, and David proved that time and time again. Joey did the same for David. The love and connection Joey and David shared cannot truly be put into words. They shared the same hobbies, many of the same interests, and even so many of the same personality traits that their bond seemed almost effortless. They understood one another in a way that is rare in this world. Their relationship was more than that of two brothers; they were confidants, best friends, and each other's safe place.

Joey also had another brother in his heart, Swade Corley. Although they were not brothers by blood, Joey loved Swade as though they were. Their connection was every bit as meaningful and strong as the bond he shared with David. Joey thought the world of Swade and was continually amazed by the wisdom he saw in him, especially at such a young age. Joey admired him, believed in him, and loved him with the same unconditional love he gave to those he considered family. For Joey, family was never defined solely by blood. It was defined by love, loyalty, trust, and the people who showed up.

He was a devoted father to his son, Asher Crawford Lee Van Alstine, 11, and to his daughter, Cecilia Jaylene Shiver, 14, whom he raised and loved as his own. Cecilia shared Joey’s birthday, January 13th, a special connection that made their bond even more meaningful. Joey never needed biology to define what it meant to be a father. He loved his children with his whole heart, and they were an irreplaceable part of his world. When nothing in the world felt right, they did. They were his happiness when life was hard, his peace when things were heavy, and the greatest source of joy he ever knew. There was nothing he loved more, nothing he cared about more, and nothing he would not have done for them. His love for his children was unconditional, immeasurable, and being their father was the greatest joy of his life. They were, quite simply, his world!

He was also deeply loved by Leah’s mother and father, whom Joey came to look upon as his own parents. Leah’s mother, now deceased, loved Joey dearly as a son, and Leah’s father continues to carry that same love for the man who became part of their family.

Joey was preceded in death by his mother, Ellen Chastain Haslam; his father, Robert Lee Van Alstine; his sister, Kristen Kimmons; his grandmother, Billie Ruth Van Alstine; and Leah’s mother, Carlene Summers, who loved Joey as a son.

He leaves behind his brother, David Kimmons; his fiancé and best friend of 14 years, Leah Shiver; his children, Asher Crawford Lee Van Alstine and Cecilia Jaylene Shiver; his brother in heart, Swade Corley; Leah’s father, Rocky Shiver, whom he loved as his own; and countless family members, friends, coworkers, and loved ones whose lives were made better simply because Joey was in them.

But perhaps the greatest way to describe Joey is this: if you knew Joey, he left a mark. Some people pass through your life and, with time, their memory fades. Joey was not one of those people. He was the kind of person whose absence will be felt for a lifetime. He left pieces of himself behind in the people who loved him and in the laughter they shared, the stories they tell, the songs that remind them of him, the fishing memories that will forever bring a smile, and the countless little moments that seemed ordinary at the time but will now mean everything. It is almost as though Joey wrote his name into the history books of everyone who knew him. You may turn the page, but you will never forget that he was there and you will always have a story to tell about him. Joey gave this world 38 years of laughter, kindness, music, friendship, love, and an enormous heart. He loved deeply, cared endlessly, and asked for very little in return. He was loved unconditionally by so many, even though he never truly understood just how much he meant to all of us. His life was far too short, but the love he gave was not. Joey will be missed beyond words, remembered beyond measure, and loved for a lifetime. And somewhere, we like to imagine, Joey is casting “one more time.”

Memorialization will be by cremation with James & Sikes Funeral Home Maddox Chapel directing.