Joseph N. Aquilina

Joseph Nicholas “Joe” Aquilina, MD (March 7, 1935–August 21, 2023) of East Lansing, Michigan—beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and friend to so many—passed away following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease on Monday, August 21, 2023 at the age of 88 years old.

Joe was the devoted son of the late Nicholas and Mary Rose (Ellul) Aquilina. He was born on March 7, 1935 in Qrendi, Malta, and in 1952 at the age of seventeen, he immigrated to the United States with his father. After attending Wayne State University, he volunteered for the draft in 1953 to serve in the US Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in West Germany primarily at US Army bases in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart, and after completing his military commitment, he continued service in the US Army Ready Reserve.

As a young man Joe had a calling to become a physician—in his words, to do “God’s work on Earth.” After attending medical school at the University of Munich, he completed his internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan and urology residency training at the University of Iowa. Joe subsequently practiced urology for more than 35 years in Saginaw, Michigan at St. Luke’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and Saginaw General Hospital. One of his greatest joys was being a teacher and mentor while serving as a Professor of Surgery and Urology for Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and Saginaw Cooperative Hospitals.

Joe was a storyteller with a big personality and an even bigger heart. One of his favorite songs was “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, and he lived by that mantra. He loved to tell the story of how he met his wife Johanna in 1956 on a train from Paris to Munich. On that fateful trip, he told her that he was going to marry her. While Johanna laughed at the comment, Joe was sure. After months of letter writing, they were married exactly one year later.

Joe loved adventure. An avid sailor, he spent a lot of time on the Great Lakes and crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a 38-foot schooner. His hobbies also included being a pilot, and he enjoyed flying to visit family and friends. Joe listened to opera and visited the Detroit Opera House as often as possible. Following retirement, Joe started a small vineyard near Mendoza, Argentina. Joe loved learning languages and was fluent in Maltese, English, German, Italian, and Spanish, and he had conversational ability in others. As Parkinson’s disease limited his mobility in recent years, Joe devoted more time to reading. History, language, and religion were among his favorite subjects.

Joe is survived by his wife Johanna, his cherished companion of 67 years. A loving father, he is survived by five children: Michael (Nancy) Zweifel, Rosemarie Aquilina, Joseph (Sue) Aquilina, Thomas (Carey) Aquilina, and Helen (Doug) Walker; seventeen grandchildren: David, Jennifer, Carolyn, Meredith, Sarah, Steven, Nicholas, Joseph, Katie, Sydney, William, Thomas, Johanna, Louis, Shelby, Michael, and Marissa; and four great grandchildren: Adalyn, Jack, Blake, and Clover. Additionally, Joe is survived by three siblings—Charles (Chuck), Sr. Theresa (Tessie), and Nicholas (Nick)—and was preceded in death by his brother Benjamin (Ben).

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church at 12:30 PM, with a one-hour prior visitation from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, on August 24, 2023. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.