DR. JOSEPH M. EDELSTEIN

EDELSTEIN, Dr. Joseph M. Age 102, passed away peacefully March 1, 2020, in his home in Cambridge, MA surrounded by his loving family. Joe was born in Boston, MA and grew up in Roxbury with extended family on Gaston Street. Congregation Adath Jeshurun served as a cornerstone for Joe's family. His education was at Boston Latin School, Tufts College and Tufts School of Medicine, class of 1943. Joe was a pathologist, researcher, writer, avid hiker and sailor, lover of the outdoors, jazz and fine art. He was a loving and generous father, grandfather, brother, husband, companion and uncle. Joe decided on a career in pathology early in medical school. His esteemed professor and director of the Pathology Department at Tufts Medical, Dr. Harold Edward MacMahon inspired him greatly. A defining time in his life occurred during the Cocoanut Grove Fire in 1942. He was a senior in medical school and had a job at the Mallory Institute of Pathology. The nightclub fire claimed 492 lives. Joe treated the victims with morphine as they were brought to the emergency room of Boston City Hospital. This affected him greatly throughout his life. Joe met his future wife, Gudrun Arsaelsdottir, a newly arrived Icelander when he was lecturing on oral pathology at Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists. Gudrun was a student there. They were smitten with each other, overcoming challenges of different cultures and religion, but went on to have a fulfilling and adventurous life together. Adventures, challenges, intellectual curiosity were hallmarks of Joe's life with Gudrun until she passed away and then with Louise Stewart, his longtime companion. He had many career highlights, but the ones he cared deeply about are the following: improving the Pathology Department at the Fort Defiance Indian Hospital on the Navajo Reservation in Fort Defiance, AZ; cancer research in Copenhagen, Denmark; first full time pathologist at The Cape Cod Hospital, Captain in the Army Medical Corps stationed in Pirmasens, Germany; Director of Pathology at Weirton General Hospital; Forensic Pathology training with Dr. Les Adelson at the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office in Cleveland, Ohio. During his long life, Joe served as a mentor to many who aspired to join the field of pathology. He had great wisdom about living a good life by respecting others, giving generously of his resources to those in need and keeping an open mind and heart to life around him. What a life!! He will be dearly missed, more than words can express. Joe was predeceased by his wife Gudrun, and his companion Louise Stewart. Joe leaves three children, Gunnar Edelstein & his wife Sarah of Darien, CT, Elissa Warner & her husband Bill of Cambridge, MA, Laura Edelstein & her partner Steve Welch of Chestnut Hill, MA. His three grandsons are Jeffrey Edelstein, Elijah Welch and Lucas Warner. He was also predeceased by his brother Maurie Edelstein and sister, Annette Edelstein. Other relatives are Louise Stewart's daughters, Lisa Stewart and her late sister, Lynne Stewart, Margret Björnsdóttir of Iceland, Lee Long, and the late Lois Edelstein, Lyn Jackson and Julia Bellinger. Rest In Peace, Joe. We all loved you! Services in the Dana Chapel at Adath Jeshurun Cemetery, 350 Grove St., West Roxbury on Friday, March 6 at 12:00pm. Following the interment, family and friends are invited to the home of Elissa & Bill Warner. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Tufts University School of Medicine, Development Office, (please write "in memory of Dr. Edelstein-Pathology" in memo line), 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111 or Appalachian Mountain Club, Attn: Development, 10 City Square, Suite 2, Boston, MA 02129. Levine Chapels, Brookline 617-277-8300 www.levinechapel.com