Joseph John Concordia

A devoted husband, accomplished engineer, and thoughtful chronicler of life’s quiet details, passed away peacefully at the age of 91, surrounded by the love of his family.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts on December 2, 1933, Joe grew up during the Great Depression in a close-knit Italian-American family. His early years shaped the values he carried throughout life—resilience, humility, and a deep commitment to purpose. He graduated from Major Beal High School in Shrewsbury, where he served as class president and co-captain of the football team, before earning his engineering degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and member of Theta Kappa Phi, and All-American undefeated intercollegiate varsity football team in 1954. WPI is a place he held in lifelong regard for the opportunities it opened and the discipline it instilled. He also received an MBA from Clark University in Worcester in June of 1970, and was registered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors since 1976.

Following his graduation from WPI, Clark University, and service in the U.S. Army, Joe began a distinguished engineering career. He first worked at Polaroid Corporation, where his precision, problem-solving ability, and calm under pressure earned the respect of peers across departments. Joe played a vital role during a period of innovation at Polaroid, supporting the development of key technologies that helped shape the company’s legacy in instant photography. He later joined Herzog-Hart in Boston, where he contributed to large-scale infrastructure projects at a time when American industry was rapidly expanding.

Throughout his life, Joe remained devoted to his wife of more than 60 years, Theresa, whom he met as a young man and married after a courtship rooted in mutual admiration and enduring love. In their later years, Joe and Theresa made their home in Bonnet Shores, Rhode Island, where they cherished the peace of coastal living and the steady rhythm of the sea. Together they created a home full of warmth, reflection, and joy. Joe is remembered for his quiet wisdom, his deep loyalty to family, and his thoughtful nature. In recent years, he took great care to document his memories in writing, offering a heartfelt and detailed review of the life he lived—grateful for every chapter, and hopeful for those still unfolding in the lives of those he loved.

He is survived by his wife Theresa, daughter Maria and her partner of 35 years Rosa Parilla, son David and his spouse Lucy and their children, Isabella, and Lexa, and son Thomas and his partner Janice, Joseph is predeceased by his parents and beloved siblings.

The family is especially grateful to the team at CareWatch LLC for their tremendous support during this difficult time. 

A private service will be held to honor his memory.