Donald T. Goldberg

Age 92, of Boston, MA died peacefully at home on February 23, 2021 surrounded by his loving family. Don had a long and rich life, full of love, family, and personal and professional success. Born in 1928, he was the youngest of 5 children to IJ and Anna Goldberg of Winthrop, MA. Don was the beloved baby brother of George, Edith, and Mel, all of whom predeceased him. His eldest sister, Helen, died in the flu pandemic of 1918.

He attended Tufts University, graduating in 1948, and later earned a second Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from MIT. He married his cherished first wife, Joan, in 1956, and they went on to raise their three children in Waban, MA. Joan predeceased him in 1992. Don was lucky enough to find love again and enjoyed over 25 years of marriage to his beloved Maxine. Don was an enthusiastic lover of the outdoors and physical activity. He grew up sailing in Winthrop Harbor, learned to ski in his twenties, loved long bike rides and walks in nature. One of his greatest pleasures was skiing in Stowe, Vermont, which he enjoyed well into his eighties, with his children and grandchildren. Don treasured his summers on Cape Cod in Cotuit, where the extended family would gather frequently for weekends of bike rides on the Shining Sea path, sailing, and family feasts. Don also was a lifelong learner who especially loved to read history and non-fiction. Post-retirement, he continued to take courses at Brandeis and other local institutions. Another passion was the arts, including classical music, ballet, and theatre. Though he claimed he wasn’t a musician, he had a deep appreciation for opera, symphonies, and solo classical guitar and piano. He was a committed volunteer tutor in the Boston Public Schools for many years in reading and math.

Don enjoyed an esteemed career as a civil engineer for 40 years. He began his career as a geotechnical engineer with Haley & Aldrich, before co-founding GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. with his MIT classmate William Zoino in 1964. Serving as the firm’s CEO until 1995, he helped propel GZA’s early growth as a geotechnical engineering consulting firm as well as its expansion into environmental engineering services. GZA continues to thrive in this field with over 700 professionals in offices throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes states. After retirement, he remained active as a consultant and advisor in the geotechnical field.

Long acknowledged as the patriarch of his extended family, Don was a loving brother-in-law to Charlie and Jane Mandell, and a devoted uncle to many nieces and nephews. Don was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who instilled integrity and a love of family in his many descendents. He is survived by his adored wife Maxine, children Anne (Michael), Lisa (Roy), and Jonathan (Megan), as well as step-children Robert and Laura (Benjamin). Don also leaves grandchildren Rebecca (Scott), Joanna (Josh), Rachel, Benji, Jordan, Ilan, Simon, Owen, Sebastian, Caleb, Gabby, Karlyn, and Ari, and great-grandsons Tyler and Mason.

Private graveside services were held on February 25, 2021.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Don’s memory can be made to Generations, Inc., 25 Kingston St., 4th floor, Boston, MA 02111; MIT for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, https://giving.mit.edu/explore/schools/engineering/cee; The Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips St., Boston, MA 02114