Joseph Aloysius FELDMAN

JOSEPH ALOYSIUS FELDMAN'Joe' October 31, 1949 - November 12, 2017
Died peacefully at home in Victoria, BC on November 12, 2017, his wife and daughter by his side. He was the cherished husband of Anna Feldman Gronau and beloved father of Evelyn Meigs Feldman. A much-loved brother, Joe is mourned by Michael Feldman, and his wife, Barb, Harsens Island, MI; Peggy Feldman, Detroit, MI; and Mary Feldman, Chicago, IL. Fondly remembered by his in-laws: Anna's mother, Alix Gronau, Victoria, and brother, James Gronau, Milford, ON; Joe's niece, Magalí Toy, and her mother, Leslie Toy, Toronto, ON; and by nephew Peter Feldman, Mt. Clemens, MI; niece, Christin Couvreux (Feldman), her husband Sean, and their children Claire and Matthew, Salmon Arm, WA. Joe was born in Detroit on October 31, 1949 to Lucile (Russell) and Tom Feldman. His early life was full of love and happy social activity. While attending Wayne State University, Detroit, Joe was drafted. Rather than fight in Vietnam, in 1969 he immigrated to Canada, at age 19. He became a Canadian citizen in 1975. Joe was eternally grateful to and appreciative of his adopted country. Based in Toronto, Joe started out doing factory work, then built a career, first in building architectural and engineering scale models, then in computer drafting and design. In 1988, Joe married Sandra Meigs. Daughter Evelyn was born in 1993. The family soon relocated to Victoria. To spend time with Evelyn, he commuted 100 km each way to his job at a pulp mill in Nanaimo. Joe was endlessly curious, knowledgeable on many subjects, and adept at solving technical problems. An insatiable reader, and proud 'nerd,' his varied interests included: history, science, politics, literature, architecture, and sports, especially Blue Jays baseball. At a true low point, Joe's marriage ended; and he rang in the millennium in hospital, recovering from surgery for colon cancer. But soon Joe reconnected with Anna, an old flame. They married in 2001, and settled down in Victoria. He had two further surgeries for colon cancer, survived, and thrived. Discovering indoor rowing in his sixties, Joe won National Champion in his category at the Monster Erg regatta at University of Victoria in 2012, and qualified to compete in the Boston world championships in 2015. Joe's warmth, humour, and positivity touched his many friends. In 2014, he developed incurable prostate cancer. Through a long, tough struggle, his optimism and focus on the good in life amazed, inspired, and kept us going. There will be a memorial in Victoria on December 30, and a gathering in Ontario, summer 2018. Friends may contact the family for details. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe's honour to prostate cancer research, BCCA, Vancouver Island Centre, or Victoria Hospice Program are gratefully requested.