Joe Luis Zabala was born on Oct. 12, 1946 in Durango, Spain to Pedro Sr. and Elvira Zabala and passed away on July 21, 2022. He was 75 years old.

His family emigrated to the States in 1956 and settled in Burns. He graduated from Burns High School in 1965 and after a few years in college he started working in the Burns-Hines lumber mill where he learned how to grade lumber and started earning certificates. He moved to Bend in 1980 and continued to work as a lumber grader. He also met and married Christine Marie Jarrell in 1991. 

When the mill closed in Bend, he was recruited by Hampton’s lumber mill in Tillamook, in 1995 later he worked at Stimson lumber and retired in 2008. 

Joe is survived by his wife, Christine M. Zabala; and his daughter, Lavana Parsons; and three siblings, Pedro Zabala Jr., Felix Zabala (Karen), Gloria Zabala. Also by his in-laws, Dianne Tweedy (Russel), Susan Stone, Laura Jarrell De Boer (Jeff De Boer) and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Daniel T. Jarrell; and his sister-in-law, Toni Zabala.   

Joe loved a good meal with fine wine and good conversation whether spoken in Basque, Spanish or English, top it off with a game of pinochle or cribbage for a perfect evening. He also loved reading novels, fishing and watching his nieces play various sports. Memorial contributions may be made at your local animal shelter. There will be no service.