Joseph David Shofner, 61, of Bardstown, died Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, at Hosparus Health Inpatient Care Center in Louisville. He was born May 5, 1965, in Bardstown to Carl Leon and Frances Joyce Mattingly Shofner.
He was a 1983 graduate of Bardstown High School. He played football all throughout grade school and high school, and was on Garnis Martin’s Bardstown High School football team that won the State Championship in 1981.
He served in the U.S. Navy in the 1980’s on the USS Iowa in the Persian Gulf (BB-61) during the U.S Navy’s late Cold-War. He enjoyed soaking up the sun, deer hunting and frog gigging with his father and brother. He loved listening to music, especially his favorite band, Pink Floyd. He enjoyed cooking and midnight snacks. He loved spending quality time with friends and family and always tried to find humor in the hard times. He never took life too seriously! He was the world’s biggest Kentucky Derby, UK, and Dallas Cowboys fan.
He was preceded in death by his father, Carl Shofner; and one brother, Daniel “Dano” Shofner.
He is survived by his mother, Joyce Shofner of Bardstown; three daughters, Ashley (Brett) Gordon of Richmond, Chelsey (Sam) Martter of Bowling Green and Carley (Drew) Shofner of Bardstown; and two grandchildren, Thomas and Margaret Martter of Bowling Green, and Crystal Pruitt of Bardstown.
The Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, at the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral with the Rev. J. Randall Hubbard officiating. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home with a 5:30 p.m. prayer service, and 10-10:45 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, at the church.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Bethlehem High School.
The Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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