Joseph Melvin Callender passed away on Saturday, May 18, 2019. Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life of 22 years at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 24, 2019, followed by a gathering at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers.Joseph Melvin Callender was born on January 3, 1997, to Melvin and Linda Hughes Callender in Las Cruces, New Mexico. As a child Joseph was always eager to embrace new experiences with a plethora of enthusiasm. He was always the highlight of family camping trips as long as there wasn’t one more uphill that he wasn’t prepared for. Growing up he was always willing to humor his sister with playing games from hide and seek to GI Joes and Barbies. Working on the car with is dad was a fantastic challenge for both of them and they worked together through it and grew closer because of it. His mom was his shelter for everything and her love for him helped him become the compassionate person everyone knew him as.In high school Joseph played lacrosse and ran cross country. He worked as a lifeguard and, like all his work, he took his responsibilities about the job seriously. His work as a lifeguard inspired him to pursue a degree at Texas Tech that would enable him to positively impact the lives of others.Joseph never hesitated to help others in need from stopping to check if strangers on the side of the road needed aid to being there for friends in need. No one was a stranger to him, he made friends easy and accepted everyone as they were. Joseph wore his emotions on his sleeve, anyone could tell when he was happy. His friends and family were always comforted by his big goofy smile when they needed it. His emotions were always real and he wasn’t afraid to express himself.Anyone that interacted with Joseph knew the positive impact that one person can have on those around him. Many lives have been touched by Joseph’s kindness and his family and friends will keep his memory by continuing to be there for others as he was there for them. We may live our lives apart but our hearts will always be together.Survivors include his parents, Melvin and Linda Callender; sister, Melinda Anne Callender; paternal grandmother, Lanna Kimbrough; maternal grandmother, Wiltrud Hughes and husband, Emil Petelko; uncles, Bob Callender and wife, Darla; Larry Hughes and wife, Lolina; Howard Callender and wife, Sally; aunts, Anna Adair, Barbara Catabay and husband, Gil; and numerous cousins.