Joe Nathan Canup, 58—an artist, photographer, bartender and gardener, of LaPorte, Indiana, formerly of Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood—passed away due to complications of a sudden recurrence of metastatic esophageal cancer.
Born in Aurora, Joe graduated from Oswego High School in 1985 and took college classes. In 2001, he moved to Chicago and worked as a bartender at Touché from 2009-17. He was also the invaluable gallery assistant at the Leigh Gallery (2005-2019).
In 2003, he met the man he would later marry. In 2023, the couple bought a fixer-upper home in LaPorte that became an ongoing labor of love project. Recently, Joe worked in facilities management at Brentwood of LaPorte Senior Living.
He was an outstanding artist and photographer who loved robots. Avid gardeners, Joe and his husband Stephen won LaPorte’s 2025 Green Thumb award. Joe was the best husband ever, and had the greatest sense of humor and could make anybody laugh in the toughest of situations.
Beloved husband of 13 years to Stephen Farrell; loving son-in-law of Debra Farrell; dear brother of Mary Canup Smotzer and Daniel Canup; and cousin Kimberly Hall, who was like a sister.
He was a dear uncle of several and the devoted father of Miss Kitty. He is also survived by his best friend Jean (Denise Lesiak) Leigh and many, many other friends who loved him dearly.
The family is deeply grateful to David Williams and other staff at Brentwood of LaPorte Senior Living, who are planting a rose garden and dedicating a plaque in Joe’s memory.
Services will be announced. Please contact the funeral home for information. Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-318-1305 to www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.