Profile Text
Birth Name: William Joseph Lara
Date of Birth: October 2, 1962
Place of Birth: San Diego, California, United States
Date of Death: May 29, 2021
Place of Death: Percy Priest Lake, Tennessee, U.S.
Ethnicity: Polish (maternal grandfather), Mexican, Irish, English, one eighth Norwegian, Scottish
Joe Lara was American actor, model, martial artist, and musician. He was known for starring as Tarzan on the show Tarzan: The Epic Adventures , and in the film American Cyborg: Steel Warrior .
Joe was the son of Diane Marie and William Manuel Lara. He was raised in Newport Beach, California. Joe was married to dietitian and church leader Gwen Shamblin Lara , until their deaths. He died in a plane crash, along with his wife, and five other members of their Remnant Fellowship Church. He was piloting the plane.
Joe had a daughter with his former fiancée, Serbian-American actress and businessperson Natasha Pavlovich.
Joe’s paternal grandfather was Narciso Ernest Leo Lara (the son of Manuel Lara and Josephine V. “Josefina” Valdez). Narciso was born in Ocate, Mora County, New Mexico. Manuel was born in Sweet Water, New Mexico, the son of Cipriano Lara, who was from Chihuahua, Mexico; and of Margarita Skinner, who was born in Virginia. Joe’s great-grandmother Josephine was born in Ocate, the daughter of Alberto “Albert” Valdez and Maria Rufina Valdez, and had deep Mexican roots in the state.
Joe’s paternal grandmother was Lucille Mildred Brandon (the daughter of William Oddie Brandon and Audrey H. Tomlinson). Lucille was born in Kansas. William was born in Missouri, the son of Grant Samuel Brandon and Lucy Ann Cox. Audrey was born in Bonner Springs, Johnson, Kansas, the daughter of John Randolph Tomlinson and Eudora Elzeda Shannon.
Joe’s maternal grandfather was Daniel Ernest Wesolowski (the son of Peter Joseph Wesolowski and Tillie/Teophila Ann Lizakowski). Daniel was born in North Dakota. Peter was born in Houghton, Michigan, the son of ethnic Polish parents, Antonius/Anthony Wisolowski/Wesolowski and Scholastica Skibitski/Skibicka, who were from Graudenz, West Prussia. Joe’s great-grandmother Tillie was born in Poland, with roots in Pomerania, the daughter of Franciszek Lizakowski and Marcelene Martha Pokrzywinski.
Joe’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Genevieve “Betty” Green (the daughter of Roy Green and Matilda Constance Dangerfield). Elizabeth was born in Grafton, Walsh, North Dakota. Roy was born in Stephen, Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Joseph Warren Green and Charlotte Georgeine/Georgine Ingebrigtsen, who was born in Bygd, Sortland kommune, Nordland fylke, Norway. Joe’s great-grandmother Matilda was born in Grafton. Her father, James Thomas Dangerfield, was born in Merrickville, Ontario, Canada, and had paternal grandparents from Devizes, Wiltshire, England, and maternal roots in Ireland. Matilda’s mother, Joe’s great-great-grandmother Elizabeth McLernon/McClernan, was the daughter of Irish parents, with roots in Belfast and Leitrim.
Source: Genealogy of Joe Lara – https://www.findagrave.com