Obituary of Joseph Anthony Mandarino

Joseph Mandarino, a man whose wit was as sharp as the crystals he studied… Dr. Joseph A. Mandarino, Curator Emeritus at the Royal Ontario Museum, died on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at Mt. Sinai hospital from complications due to pneumonia. Dr. Mandarino, a Mineralogist whose scientific accomplishments included extensive research in new mineral descriptions and mineral systematics, served at the R.O.M. for over 35 years. He will be remembered by students and colleagues for his contributions to the field of Mineralogy, for his irrepressible sense of humour, and for his generous mentoring and friendship. Joe was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1929. He met Joan Cady while both attended graduate school at the University of Michigan. They were married for 51 years. In 1959 Joseph and Joan moved to Toronto where he began his tenure at the R.O.M. and the two produced their unique brood of children. He will be missed by Joan, his children and their families: Jay, husband to Catherine Wilson; Cathy; Joe, husband to Stephanie Ward and father to Elizabeth and Stephen; and Cindy, wife to Michael Matthews. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Eglinton Avenue East), from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. on Friday, September 28th. A funeral mass will be held in OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH, 78 Clifton Road on Saturday, September 29th at 10:30 a.m. Friends are invited to bring jokes and anecdotes to share with the family at a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Mt. Sinai Intensive Care Unit would be appreciated.