Joseph Jack Packales

PITTSTON -- Joseph Jack Packales, Ph.D., was born in New York City on March 28, 1948. Although he was a native New Yorker, he was a die-hard Red Sox fan. The start of spring training was always on his calendar. He loved trivia and often said that his brain had no room for the "regular" stuff.

Joe was a musician of the highest caliber. He always gave his very best, whether accompanying for a high school musical, performing with his New Arts Ensemble around the country, conducting a church choir, or attending a performance of one of his orchestra pieces by a symphony in Georgia, El Paso or Istanbul. As a composer, he was twice nominated for The Pulitzer Prize and was honored with The Howard Hanson Prize, several Macdowell Colony fellowships, a major grant from the I.B.M. Corporation and two grants from The National Endowment for the Arts.

He was a music minister all of his adult life. As organist and/or choir director, he served several churches in Texas, Old South Church in Hallowell and the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle, and was the organist at Highland Avenue Methodist Church in Gardiner at the time of his death.

Joe attended Music & Arts High School in New York and continued his education at The Eastman School of Music, Cleveland State University and Kent State University. He then served on the faculties of Skidmore College, Belknap College and Cleveland State University and was, from 1984 to 1999, composer-in-residence and associate professor of music at The University of Texas at El Paso. Most recently, Joe retired from The University of Southern Maine, where he had been since moving to Maine 10 years ago. His patience and infinite knowledge of music made him an exceptional teacher.

Joe enriched the lives of everyone he met. His liberal political views, love of the Red Sox, and knowledge of thoroughbred racing, combined with his quirky sense of humor, provided many hours of discussion with those he knew. His passing is a great loss to the musical world and to this community.

Joe was married to Barbara Balch Packales for the last 11 years. Those who were part of his life are Barbara and her son, Michael Simmons, of Pittston; in-laws Marion and Dana Balch, of Manchester; sister-in-law Betsy Barker, of Randolph; an uncle, Jerry Alter, of Las Vegas; several cousins, Charlotte Scheier, of Staten Island, N.Y., Ellen Krantweiss, of Valley Stream, N.Y., Faye Reed Graham, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; special friend Cynthia McGuire; his church family at Highland Avenue Methodist Church; a companion, Veronica Hopkins; and his good friends from Liberal Cup trivia and from Winners in Brunswick.

A celebration of Joe's life will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, at Highland Avenue Methodist Church, Gardiner. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 51 US Route 1, Suite M, Scarborough, ME 04074; or the American Diabetes Association, Memorial & Honor Program, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.