Joseph Mason Proud Jr.

Joe was born in North Adams, Massachusetts to Joseph Mason Proud and Bertha Day Proud. After earning his physics degree at Wesleyan University, he gained his PhD from Brown University, where he met his wife Jean. Once his graduate school days were complete, Joe jumped into his next challenge: conducting experiments on full-scale nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site. Joe, Jean and new son Joey lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where daughter Laura was born. The family moved to Wellesley, Massachusetts, where the kids grew up and Joe eventually became a 20-year veteran of GTE Sylvania in Waltham. He was an internationally-recognized physicist, specializing in lighting, and his career took him to Europe, the United Kingdom and across the United States. He would fully immerse himself in these trips and always returned home with souvenirs, sharing his knowledge of Italy, Scotland or a dozen other places.

When the time came to retire in 1983, Joe embraced this new stage in life and bought a home in Sudbury, which gave him great joy for the rest of his life. He adored gardening and maintaining the grounds and could often be seen on his John Deere tractor or just sitting on one of his home-made benches by the pond, where he loved telling fantastic stories of lost valleys and hidden treasures to his grandchildren. He used to say that when he woke up each morning, he would get excited just thinking of all the things he could do that day.

Joe earned many patents and international accolades, but he is remembered by friends and family for his incredible thirst for knowledge and the ability to succeed at just about everything he tried. A gifted woodworker, he filled his home with period reproduction furniture that he built. He was an avid musician, specializing in clarinet and sax. In his seventies he taught himself to play the piano and to paint with oils. He filled his home with his paintings of birds and other nature scenes.

Joe is survived by his daughter, Laura Haley of Marlborough; sisters Cinnie (Jennings) of Delanson, NY and Sally (Punches) of San Luis Obispo, California and brother Peter Proud of San Antonio, Florida; four grandchildren-Emily Haley, Nathaniel Haley, Sara Proud, Joe Proud; four great-grandchildren and daughter-in-law Mary Proud.

He was predeceased by his sister Charlotte, brother Austin, wife Jean, son Joseph Mason Proud Ill and special friend Shirley Savick.

Visitation will be held in the funeral home, Duckett - J.S. Waterman & Sons - Home of Memorial Tribute, 656 Boston Post Road, SUDBURY, MA, on Friday, December 13, 2024 from 10AM to 11AM. A funeral service will follow at 11AM in the funeral home. Interment to follow at Wadsworth Cemetery, Sudbury, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association or Buddy Dog Humane Society in Sudbury would be appreciated by the family.