Joseph "Joe" Kear Wald

Joseph “Joe” Kear Wald, age 71, lost his battle with cancer on Friday, October 2, 2020. Joe was born in South Philadelphia March 24, 1949 and moved to Roxborough at the age of 2. He attended Central High School then got his Bachelor Degree in Mathematics from Temple University in 1970. Because he lived 22 years in Philadelphia, he was a life time fan of Philadelphia teams, especially the Phillies and the Eagles. In 1971, he started graduate school at UD where he met the love of his life, Lindalee. They were married in 1973. In 1978, he earned his PhD in Mathematics from UD. In 1979, he began his 30 year career as a civilian employee at Aberdeen Proving Ground, working at AMSAA, BRL, and ARL. His job title was mathematician and he routinely addressed problems no one else could solve. After his retirement in 2009, no one else had been groomed to address those difficult problems, and his expertise was greatly missed. Outside of work, Joe’s interests included chess, wine, cooking, reading, and music, especially classical and jazz. He also served in a voluntary capacity as Newark Advisory Planning Commission chairman for 17 years, and he continued to keep up with local planning and zoning issues. Throughout the years, Joe and Lindalee were able to do some traveling-mostly in the US and Canada; although they did do an Alaskan cruise, an Australian cruise, a group tour of Southern Ireland and a visit to Joe’s brother and family in Israel where Stephen was able to give the best tour of both Jewish and Christian sites. Some US trips included San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest, and several into New England and the Eastern provinces of Canada; as well as some trips to Florida for Phillies spring training and group trips to North Carolina Outer Banks. Joe was preceded in death by his parents Bernard and Irene Wald; sister-in-law Margie Wald; cousin Mark Karasow; and numerous aunts and uncles. Joe’s surviving relatives include his wife Lindalee of 46 years 9 months and 2 days; his brothers, Michael (Manny, Cathleen, Lukas, Ryan) and Stephen (Stephanie, Yossi, Rina, Gail, Tal, 7 grandchildren); brother-in-law, Rick Curley (Donna, Brian, Liz, Quinn) and numerous cousins; “adopted” daughters (Crystal and Melanie); and his closest buddy, Don Boese. A graveside service will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, at All Saints Cemetery, 6001 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808. Face masks will be required for all in attendance. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your favorite charity or to the folks who kept Joe alive during this 2-year bout with cancer – Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder, P.O. Box 148, Newark, DE 19715 or to Seasons Hospice, 220 Continental Drive, Ste 101, Newark, DE 19713.

Joseph "Joe" Kear Wald

March 24, 1949 - October 2, 2020