LYNWOOD — There wasn’t a battle Joe T. Battle couldn’t win, say his family and friends.

Known as a “mountain of a man,” Battle was someone who was strong and vital and full of life and energy, who fought two tours in Vietnam, then continued the fight in Lynwood to keep youth out of gangs, to give them a better education, to better his community.

Battle died Aug. 27 of a massive stroke.

Resident and friend of the Battle family Paulette Bradley remembers Battle.

“He was a mountain of a man,” she said. “He had his first stroke two years ago and since then people were always asking for him, about him, to see how he was doing. We were so hopeful, because he got better, but then he had a setback. … It’s discouraging to see someone who was so vital and strong get sick so quickly.”

While she only knew him for about six years, the time was long enough to know that he was a “good person.”

“I can’t think of anything that he wasn’t trying to fix,” she said. “He was involved in everything, he was always very busy.”

Battle, also known as Deacon Battle, was a 36-year resident of Lynwood.

Born to Eupa Jewell Turner and Joe Withers Battle in Atlanta, Texas, in 1941, Battle was raised in Los Angeles and an alumni of Manual Arts High School before embarking on a military career in 1958.

Battle successfully completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. Sgt. First Class Battle retired from the military service honorable, receiving a Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, six Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, ribbons for Meritorious Service, a Combat Infantryman’s Badge and a Purple Heart.

Battle moved with his family to Lynwood in 1974 and completed his military commitment in 1979.

Battle earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills. He returned to government service where he worked for the Internal Revenue Service, retiring as a revenue officer group manager in 2004.

In Lynwood, Battle was elected to the Lynwood school board in 1981, where he served for 13 years. After leaving the board, he was appointed to serve as a commissioner for the classified employees of the district from 1998 to 2008.

He also served on the Veteran’s Affairs Council and the Community Development Block Grant Commission as a commissioner for the city.

Battle was ordained as a deacon on June 10, 1995 for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. He was officially assigned to his parish, St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Lynwood.

During his 36 years at St. Philip, he served in several capacities, including as a youth minister, a CCD coordinator, an RCIA director a conformation coordinator, a Catechist, an Eucharistic Minister, a lector, an usher and a counselor.

City Manager Roger Haley sent out a message to Battle’s family expressing his and the City Council’s condolences to his wife and to his family.

“He was a good friend to this community,” said City Councilman Jim Morton, who knew Battle for more than 20 years. “He will be missed. He was always so active in everything. He was a fighter for this community, especially for the kids. He worked many, many years on getting kids out of gangs. … If there were only more people like him, this world would be a better place.”

Morton said he always looked forward to Battle’s storytelling.

“He loved telling stories,” Morton said. “He would start to tell you one, then he would start talking about something else, but he always came back to the end of the story. … It would take him at least 10 minutes to get to the end of the story, but they were so interesting, made you want to keep talking to him all day long.”

Morton said that he will never forget how Battle would never endorse anyone for City Council, unless he was endorsing him.

“He would only endorse me,” Morton said, referring to the several times he has run for City Council. “There was a woman, whose son went to school with Joe’s son, and she figured he would endorse her for City Council because their sons went to school together, but he told her no, but he endorsed me, and I will never forget that.”

Battle is survived by his wife, Barbara; his mother, Juanita Battle; two children, five grandchildren, two great grandchildren, five siblings, and a host of relatives and friends.

A viewing and a vigil have been scheduled for Sept. 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. at All Souls Mortuary, 4400 Cherry Ave., Long Beach.

A funeral mass will take place Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 4311 Olanda St., Lynwood. The funeral will follow at All Souls Cemetery.