Joshua William Schleicher

Joshua William Schleicher “Josh” was born on September 25, 1973 to teenage parents, Mo and Laurie Schleicher. He was a very easy baby, let us sleep in late, by baby time, very seldom cried and had a bright and cheery disposition. Josh had the prettiest head of platinum blonde curls you would ever want to see.

He displayed his athleticism at an early age. At About 3 years old he and his little buddies at the Fairview Park Apts. would form a train of big wheels and would race down the sidewalk, sounding just like a train.  Of course when it was time to turn around Josh didn’t make a large sweeping turn, he skidded that big wheel around on a dime and flew back up the sidewalk, at the head of the pack. It was so much fun to watch.

As he got older, Josh played soccer (loved indoor soccer the best, goalie was his favorite position) basketball and little league baseball. Baseball was his sport. He played for 9 years, 3rd base, pitcher and catcher. He was a really good 3rd baseman and was on the All-star Team year after year. We had so much fun going to his games, Moe hanging out with the coaches, me in the stand cheering like a crazed baseball mom.

Josh was also a boy scout, went to summer camp, did the Klondike derby, and participated in an ecological project on Assateague Island every summer, planting sea oats on the dunes to help stabilize them. His dad and I participated in most of the events and sat on the executive board to help plan their adventures and how to pay for them. Our best trip was going to Charleston, South Carolina during energy week (remember those days?) to spend the week on the Yorktown Air Craft Carrier.  Josh went to Rockland Elementary, Edmondson Heights Elementary, Johnnycake Jr. High, and Catonsville Senior High School. School was not his favorite subject, but he made a lot of nice friends.

Josh as an adult continued his swashbuckling ways. He became a Union Ironworker, a member of Local No. 5 in Washington DC.  He had to give up his card due to health reasons.  Josh and his dad went up to help during 9/11 and ended up working in New Jersey. It was at that time we discovered Josh was a type 1 diabetic.

He didn’t let it hold him back. He listened to the craziest music ever, he surfed, kite boarded, rollerbladed, loved to trail bike and even help us walking the dog. Boomer kept going up in Josh’s room, he knew he could always get Josh to take him for a walk.

Diabetes ages a person rapidly, so at age 44, Josh had a massive coronary from which we were unable to revive him.  If you would like to remember Josh, maybe make a contribution to the American Diabetes Association, so another set of parents doesn’t have to go through what we’re trying to endure.

Josh was a person who suffered a lot of hard knocks in life, but he always faced them and came out on the other side. He didn’t let ceaseless hardships hold down his spirit. He might have gotten knocked down, but he always got back up and tried to get back in the game. He had a large and loving heart, was generous to a fault and never held a grudge. He was a real mensch. We love him and are going to miss him profoundly.

On September 9, 2018, Joshua W. Schleicher, devoted son of Laurie Schleicher (nee Martin) and Emerald "Mo" Schleicher; loving nephew of Linda Greenberg, Julia Johnson, and Anne Stockbridge; cherished grandson of Ruth H. Loehmann; dear cousin of Maxwell Greenberg, Noah Johnson, Sarah, Jennifer, and Jeffrey Stockbridge, and Mary Catherine Wright and her husband Doug. 

Friends may call at the Candle Light Funeral Home, 1835 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD. 21228, on Saturday 3 to 4:30pm, where a funeral service will be held at 4:30pm. Interment private. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joshua William Schleicher, please visit our floral store.