Transit Re is saddened to share the passing of Joe DeKoning, who passed on February 27, 2026, at the age of 80.

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Joe served as a Transit Re Board Member and Michigan Transit Pool Liaison, playing an important role in supporting collaboration between transit agencies and strengthening risk management solutions for public transportation providers. His leadership and insight were instrumental in the formation and continued success of Transit Re, a member-owned reinsurance captive created in partnership with the Ohio Risk Pool and the Michigan Transit Pool.

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Joe dedicated decades of his professional life to public transportation. He served as Executive Director of the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) before retiring from that role in 2008. Following his retirement, Joe continued to serve the industry as Training Coordinator for the Michigan Public Transit Association (MPTA) for more than 16 years. In that position, he worked closely with transit professionals across the state and was widely known for his leadership of the annual Transit Vehicle Maintenance Seminar at Higgins Lake. Even after retiring from that role in August 2024, Joe continued contributing his knowledge and experience through his work with the Michigan Transit Pool and Transit Re.

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Joe was respected throughout the transit community for his professionalism, dedication, and willingness to mentor others. His thoughtful leadership and commitment to public service left a lasting impact on colleagues and transit systems across the region.

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Joe was born on April 30, 1945, in Muskegon, Michigan, to Gerrit and Blanche (Johnson) DeKoning. He graduated from West Michigan Christian High School and attended Calvin College before proudly serving three years in the United States Air Force, including time in Vietnam. After his military service, he completed his degree in Political Science at Grand Valley State College in 1975.

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In 1978, Joe met the love of his life, Katherine “Kate” Strong, and they were married on September 11, 1979, in Interlaken, Switzerland. The couple later returned to Michigan and made their home in Leelanau County.

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Joe had a lifelong passion for travel and exploration. He traveled to every continent except Antarctica and had a special appreciation for Norway and Switzerland. He was fascinated by maps, transportation systems, and the history of highways and railways. One of his favorite personal mottos was, “Never go the same way twice and never go back the same way you came.”

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He was also deeply committed to community service as a charter member of the Traverse Bay Sunrise Rotary Club, where he supported international service initiatives. In 2024, Joe and Kate traveled with Rotary to Kenya and Malawi to observe projects supporting bicycles for students and livestock for rural communities, and he also helped support educational initiatives in Nairobi.

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Joe is survived by his wife of 46 years, Kate; his daughter Charlotte (Daniel Washburn) DeKoning; his siblings Joan (Robert) Jansma, Judith Schutter, Karla (Peter) Hitchcock, and Nan (Daniel) Joslyn; as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

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A celebration of Joe’s life will be held this summer, with details to be announced.

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For the full published obituary, please visit:
https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/muskegon/name/joseph-dekoning-obituary?id=60937818