Joseph M. Jolda, 89, Dean Emeritus of Central New England College/Worcester Junior College.
WEBSTER - Joseph M. Jolda, 89, a retired educator, died February 19, 2009 at his home after a brief illness. His wife of 54 years, Florence M. (Godzik) Jolda, died in 2003.
He is survived by three sons, J. Gregory and his wife Ann (Stinehour) Jolda of Augusta, ME, Ronald S. and his wife Mary (Tamosaitis) Jolda, James M. and his wife Alison (Hayes) Jolda, both of Webster; his daughter, Nancie (Jolda) O’Brien and her husband Michael O’Brien of Richmond, VA; a sister, Carol (Jolda) Pailler of Framingham and thirteen grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, Florian John Jolda.
He was born in Webster, a son of Stanley and Josephine (Tadla) Jolda and lived most of his life here. .
He was a member of Saint Joseph Basilica.
Mr. Jolda graduated from Saint Joseph School and Bartlett High School. He earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and his graduate degree in education from Worcester State College. He did post masters work at Assumption College and WPI.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree Mr. Jolda was employed by Federal Telephone & Radio Co. in Newark, NJ. During WWII he was test engineer on the Glide Path portion of the Instrument Landing System and when RADAR came into its own, he worked on the famous Ground Controlled Approach System for the Army Air Force. This system was used by the Air Force for many years.
After the war, Mr. Jolda returned to Webster where he married Florence Mary Godzik and changed his career to education. He taught at Bartlett High School, Quinsigamond Community College and Worcester Junior College. He was appointed as Dean of the Evening Division of Worcester Junion College after working for the Worcester County Engineering Department. He finished his career by returning to Bartlett High School where he introduced computer programming courses and taught physics and calculus.
During his Deanship he was awarded a fellowship in Junior College Administration at the University of Texas and was honored by being named Outstanding Educator of the Year by his peers.
Mr. Jolda served the town of Webster by being elected to the Webster School Committee for three terms, serving as chairman for three years. He also was elected to the Bay Path School Committee and the Webster Lake Commission. He was a member and president of the Exchange Club of Webster. He held a membership in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, where he served as chairman. He was a member of the old ZPRK Society where he served as secretary.
Mr. Jolda was an accomplished clarinetist. During his youth he played with local Polish American Groups including the Pulaski Brass Band and Stan Kolak’s Radio Brodcasting Orchestra, for which he also wrote and arranged music. He still enjoyed playing his clarinet and piano until the time of his death.
Mr. Jolda was an Amateur Radio Operator, with the station call letters of KA1MLN. He earned a certificate for contacting 100 countries by satellite. He held memberships in the American Radio Relay League and Amateur Satellite Corporation. He was also a licensed movie projectionist and held a Professional Engineers’s License in Massachusetts.
The funeral will be held Monday, February 23, from the Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, 340 School Street, with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Saint Joseph Basilica, 53 Whitcomb Street. Burial will be in St. Joseph Garden of Peace, Webster. Calling hours are from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Sunday, February 22, in the funeral home. Donations in his name may be made to St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, 2228 Sunset Blvd., Suite 2A, Steubenville, Ohio 43952-2204, the Association of Marian Helpers, 2 Prospect Street, Stockbridge, MA 01262 or to Eternal Word Television Network, 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210-9948.