Joseph “Joe” John Jankowski, 88, of Needham, formerly of Wellesley, died September 23rd, 2024. He is survived by his two children, David William Jankowski and Mary Kay Jankowski, daughter-in-law Dianne, and his four grandchildren Thomas, Laura, Tessa, and Lia.
Joe was born into a tight-knit Polish immigrant community in Scranton, PA in 1936. At a young age, he discovered a love of learning that lasted throughout his life, and he became the first in his family to attend college, earning degrees from the University of Scranton and Northeastern before graduating from medical school at Tufts. During his residency, Joe was profoundly influenced by a rotation serving children dying of leukemia and was recognized for his exceptional bedside manner, leading to a 42-year career in child psychiatry.
Joe was triple-boarded in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child psychiatry. He spent his entire career as a psychiatrist and professor at Tufts and developed such a deep affinity for the institution that he refused to be treated anywhere else. Throughout his career, Joe prioritized the clinical care of children and families, teaching, mentoring, and supporting community based mental health programs for children.
Joe’s strong and loving wife of 56 years, Carol Barber Jankowski, died in 2020. Throughout their lives, Joe and Carol nurtured a vibrant community of professional colleagues, neighbors in Wellesley, and fellow parishioners at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church. Joe and Carol loved to travel, especially hiking in the Alps and cross country skiing in New England. They also visited numerous national parks with their children and grandchildren.
Joe loved his family. He cherished annual reunions in Bass Lake, California, the most recent of which included four generations of attendees from age 1 to 90. Joe cultivated close relationships with all his grandchildren and will be missed dearly.
Joe has been loved and supported in recent years by Adele Beggs, 86, of Wellesley.
Joe will be remembered as kind, cheerful, and generous.
There will be a funeral service and reception to follow at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 79 Denton Rd., Wellesley, MA 02482 at 11am on Saturday September 28th. If you care to make a donation in Joe’s honor, please make checks out to Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The proceeds will be directed to the church’s child-focused service programs in Boston and Honduras.