In 1936 the family moved to Hingham, Mass., where they resided for many years. In 1951 Joe graduated from Milton Academy and followed up with a Princeton degree in English. At Princeton he was part of the NROTC program and was commissioned an ensign in the Navy, serving from 1955 to 1958. While on a Norfolk, Va., bus, Joe, a lieutenant junior-grade in the Navy, met the love of his life, Bruce Bishop, who would become his wonderful wife of 55 years. They married in 1959 in Belmont, Mass., where Bruce taught fourth and fifth grade.
Joe graduated from Harvard Business School in 1960 and the family relocated to Phoenix, Ariz., where Joe worked for Del Webb. In 1963 they moved to Tiburon, Calif., where Joe worked for the Draper Co., developing shopping centers.
In 1977 he formed Bacheller Properties, which built and managed apartments and other properties in Sonoma, Calif. While living in Tiburon, Joe served on the Tiburon Parks and Recreation Commission and the Planning Commission. He also participated in the Princeton Alumni Club placing “fellows” in Marin County nonprofits and was a founding member of the Tiburon Men’s Chorus, now known as the Marin Men’s Chorus. He sang with them for 30 years. Joe was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder. He joined the Tiburon Peninsula Club and enjoyed playing tennis and going to the gym.
Joe took pride in his family and enjoyed a large group of friends. In 2014 his beloved Bruce died of cancer. Joe is survived by daughters Kimball and Susan, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Maj. Jack Bacheller, USMC.