Joseph (Ed) Warden, a World War II veteran and longtime resident of Bay Shore, died Nov. 22, 2008. He was 85 years old. He was described by his family as a man with an optimistic outlook, who was kind and giving.

"He had an infectious smile," said his nephew Steven Poppe. "He never had a bad word to say about anyone.

Steven said that he had known his uncle had been ill and that when he recently saw him he was amazed at how he continued to be warm and outgoing despite it all. "He doted over my Aunt Joan and was as concerned for her as he has always been despite his own illness," he said.

Mr. Warden was born in Patchogue, the son of Mary Rogers and Edward Warden. He graduated from Hofstra University and served in the U.S. Army as a Signal Corpsman in The China, Burma, and India Theaters from 1942 to 1945.

For 42 years, he was employed with Western Electric, New York Telephone and NYNEX. Twelve years ago, he and his wife of 29 years, Joan (Poppe) Warden moved to Hilton Head.

"He was a kind, sweet and gentle and upbeat person," said his wife. "Many of the cards and notes I have received from people talk about how kind a person he was."

Mr. Warden and his wife were members of the Southward Ho Country Club in Bay Shore, where Mr. Warden played tennis, a passion he maintained throughout his life.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Warden is survived by his children, Margaret Warden and Elizabeth Carlisle, of Hilton Head, and Michael Warden of Lindenhurst. His stepchildren, Alfred Heckel III of Bay Shore and Christine Ronback and her husband Randy of Amityville, and by his grandchildren Nicole and Christopher Carlisle of Hilton Head and Alfred Heckel IV of New York City and Katherine Heckel of Bay Shore also survive him as do his sisters Adele Lafave, of Virginia. and Mary Blanding of Patchogue and his sisterin law, Inez Poppe of Babylon and Irma Fleming of Amityville.