Joe Gale, Human Timeline of WPI History

John J. B. "Joe" Gale, who retired in 2000 after 54 years as a member of the WPI staff, died on May 24, 2004, after a long illness. He was hired by WPI (where his grandfather, father and two uncles had also worked) in 1946, just after he returned from four years in the Army during World War II.

At WPI, Gale started as a groundskeeper, but quickly moved over to become a laboratory technician in the Mechanical Engineering Department, where he learned to weld from the late professor Carl G. Johnson. Over the years, Gale returned the favor by teaching hundreds of WPI students to weld with a gentle, patient style that made him one of the most beloved members of the university staff. Gale also taught general machine shop operations and casting.

Outside of the classroom, Gale was a constant presence at WPI athletic events. He managed the press box for all home football games and was the facility coordinator for Harrington Auditorium and Alumni Gym during home basketball and wrestling contests. Over his long WPI career, he worked for nine WPI presidents and saw the student body grow from about 300 to over 2,700.

"To call Joe Gale a fixture at WPI, while accurate, doesn't do the man justice," noted Ray Bert '93 in a 1996 tribute published in the WPI Journal. "He is a living, breathing part of the fabric of the institution--a human timeline of WPI's recent history."

In lieu of flowers, Gale's family has asked that donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen Street, Framingham, Mass. 01701.

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Last modified: Sep 14, 2004, 11:36 EDT