Joel Gomez, Beloved Science Chief CLT, Passes Away

By Tim Paglione

With a heavy heart, I report the passing of the beloved Chief CLT of Earth & Physical Sciences, Mr. Joel Gomez. 

As most folks who knew him surely understand, this is doubly sad given that his pat response to "How you doing, Joel?" was always, "Still a-live." It makes me chuckle to think about these and other interactions I had with Joel for the last two decades here at York and therein lies his gift: to give joy even beyond his presence. At retirement, his close York friend Worla said, "You could hear his voice in the lab while he was on Jamaica Avenue." 

Even if Joel was angrily venting about some injustice in Haiti, or because "That Guy" who he lent some equipment gave it back with a scuff or a missing wire, these tirades usually ended with a little sigh and then a cackle because Joel was full of great spirit. Joel was supremely dedicated to the college and all its students. He was a York graduate, earning his bachelor’s degree in physics in 1982 after coming to the U.S. from his native Haiti. He then spent some years in industry, full of adventurous travel, and utilized his technical talents. 

In 1985, he returned to York as our Physics CLT and was a fixture in that space, playing the guiding hand for thousands of our budding science majors for the next 34 years. He was also the long-time advisor to the Haitian Student Association. Joel was devoted to his faith as a Seventh Day Adventist and to his family, whom we were lucky to get to know over the years – nieces and siblings and, of course, his amazing mother, and the love of his life, his wife, Mely. It's people like Joel that we're talking about when we say York is like a family. His impact was vast, and he is dearly missed. Our department admin, Pauline, thought of "Jo-Jo" like a big brother and recalled his usual parting words: "May the Force be with you."

Services will be live-streamed from Pennsylvania on Thursday, March 6,  10 a.m. to noon. Please get in touch with Pauline Miles for access.

Joel Gomez Obituary