Gerhard Joseph
January 23, 2021
Gerhard Joseph, age 89, of Fort Lee NJ died on Saturday January 23, 2021 in his home. Husband to the late Eileen Joseph nee: McGee. Devoted father to Lisa Joseph, Elaine Joseph, Miriam Kinzhuber and her husband, Alexander Kinzhuber. Beloved grandfather to Nicholas and Brian Kinzhuber.
Gerhard was born in Frankfurt Germany to the late Jonas Joseph and Elly Joseph. The Joseph the family emigrated to New York when he was a small boy. He spent the last 50 years living in New Jersey.
He is remembered by family and friends for his kindness, generosity ,and sense of humor.
Gerhard liked to say he never stopped going to school. After earning his PhD, he began his career as a college professor and continued teaching up until he retired at the age of 85. During his career he taught at Georgetown University, University of Minnesota and for the last 45 years on the faculty at the City University of New York. He was known as a passionate Tennyson Scholar, caring mentor, and supportive colleague and friend.
After retirement he continued to travel, audit classes, write a daily blog with friends and engage in spirited conversations.
He loved writing, movies, theater, hiking, travel , pasta, The Dickens Universe, supper or brunch with a friend, a good tennis match, and most of all an interesting conversation with literally anyone he came across. He was blessed with good cheer, good friends, a love of life, and a curious spirit.
Gerhard loved teaching and learning and was known to say:
it is indeed the best of all possible worldsor as Ive often also said in my next life I want to come back as an English Professor.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Doctors without Borders, Amnesty International or a charity of your choosing.
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Miss you, Dad.
It is with great sadness that I am finding out this news of Professor Josephs passing. He was my mentor and guide for my Masters thesis at Lehman College. He was always available to assist me with my endless questions and fears about my thesis submission. His classes were inspiring and thought provoking. I will miss him greatly.
I was fortunate to have had Professor Joseph as my English prof in my sophomore year at Georgetown in the early 1960s. He was very highly regarded by his peers and students alike for his intellect, knowledge, and innate grace and kindness. He also had a mischievous wit. I remember his definition of inappropriately intimate dancing as the vertical fulfillment of a horizontal desire and his oft-uttered phrase we are all screwed by the inscrutable. He was the one who taught me that Japanese surnames precede first names such that Toshiro Mifunes friends called him Mifune. I have often thought of him and today after so many years decided to check Google for his whereabouts. I regret not having done it sooner. My deepest condolences to his family. He was exemplary in many ways. A rare and lofty soul. Rafael Urquia II, Esq., New York, New York.