Joseph B. Nogelo Obituary
Joseph Brent Nogelo (Joe, to all who knew and loved him) died on December 26, 2023, three weeks after celebrating his 78th birthday. Born on December 5, 1945, he died of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Joe was a brilliant, kind, generous, and spirited man, who cared deeply for his family, friends, community, and country. He found joy in the outdoors through adventures large and small. He also cherished simple moments with those he loved. Joe's unique ability to respect and connect with all kinds of people and his compassionate leadership style enabled him to have a positive impact on the lives of many.
Joe grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts. After graduating from Tufts University in 1967, Joe was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy and stationed at Kagnew Station, a communications base in Asmara, Ethiopia (now Eritrea). While off duty, he taught economics at the University of Asmara and played in tournaments across East Africa, the Middle East, and Europe on a Navy basketball team. Reflecting on this period, Joe noted, "My responsibility for community relations frequently took me off the base, where I built relationships with local people and learned about Ethiopian culture. Those experiences sparked my interest in mission-driven work and showed me I could make a difference.". After his service, Joe earned his master's degree in education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Early in his career, Joe worked as a community organizer for anti-poverty efforts and as a social worker with a focus on at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. On several occasions, Joe opened his home to particularly troubled teens, providing them with a secure space and helping them forge more productive paths. Joe believed in second chances and had a way of making people believe in themselves.
From 1984 until his retirement in 2009, Joe worked for the YMCA in various roles, including Senior Vice President of the YMCA of Greater Boston, where he was responsible for overseeing the association's inner-city branches and their community partnerships. He was proud to play a role in Operation Ceasefire, also known as the Boston Miracle, a partnership with the Boston Police Department and other agencies that fostered positive relationships between city youth and the police and significantly reduced youth homicides and gun assaults. Under his leadership, the Greater Boston YMCA flourished as a premier social-services agency and delivered on its mission to strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
After his retirement, Joe was deeply engaged with the Gloucester Democratic City Committee. An enthusiastic canvasser, Joe also served as Ward 5 Chair, Finance Chair, and a three-time delegate to the State Convention, and was a founding member of Surfers for Obama. In 2020, Joe received the Charles McCarthy Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedicated service to others and efforts to promote the common good.
Joe was an avid outdoorsman who loved to play. He co-authored the Cape Ann chapter of the guidebook "Boston Rocks," and traveled to Yosemite to climb Yosemite Falls and the Royal Arches. He surfed in the Northeast through the winter and traveled to California, Mexico, and Costa Rica in search of the perfect wave. He loved skiing, particularly at Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire, where he enjoyed the challenge of setting new personal records on the 1967 World Cup downhill course. He ran the Boston Marathon and Mount Washington Road Race several times each. He excelled at tennis, basketball, baseball, cycling, cornhole and bocce, and loved to swim, waterski, and paddleboard at Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, which his family has enjoyed since his childhood. Many of Joe's closest friendships were forged and sustained through the shared pursuit of athletic activities across decades.
Joe was a dedicated grandfather; he coached youth basketball, delivered a thrilling curriculum through "Camp Grandpa" each summer, and rejoiced in his grandchildren's interests and achievements. Joe delighted in spending time with his daughters, inspiring them to believe they could do absolutely anything. Together, they enjoyed Bruce Springsteen concerts, Celtics and Red Sox games, mountain adventures, early morning coffees, and long days at Good Harbor Beach. More than anything else, he was a devoted, loving, and supportive husband to his wife of 56 years, Sinikka, reveling in her artistic talents and the beautiful life they shared.
Joe is survived by his wife, Sinikka (Laakkonen); daughters Liisa (Douglas Kerr) Nogelo and Alexis (Edan) Dekel; and three grandchildren, Maximilian Littman, Anders Littman, and Mai Dekel. He is also survived by his siblings, A. Miles (Geraldine) Nogelo and Valerie Scarborough, and many beloved sisters- and brothers-in law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Anthony J. and Lillian C. (Nowick) Nogelo.
Visiting hours will be held at the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street in Gloucester, on Thursday, January 4, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A private burial will take place at the Magnolia Cemetery in Gloucester.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his name to the Glen T. MacLeod Cape Ann YMCA, 7 Gloucester Crossing Rd, Gloucester, MA 01930, or the YMCA of Greater Boston, 316 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.
Arrangements by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA.
