Joseph S. Gumlak, 71, loving husband and father, of Marion, MA, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 8, 2021 after a period of declining health. He was the son of the late Joseph and Stella Gumlak.
He is survived by his wife Mary (MacNeil) Gumlak, daughter Sarah Gumlak, sister-in-law Elaine Gumlak, and nieces Denise, Darlene, Delaine, and Diane (with all their kids and grandkids!), as well as the countless friends, colleagues, and clients whose lives he touched. He was predeceased by his brother Jerry and sister Joan.
Joe was born in Buffalo, NY, and after the death of his parents was raised by his brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Elaine Gumlak. He graduated from St. Francis High School and attended Marquette University before serving in the Army as a linguist, training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey. When he completed his service, he returned to finish his undergraduate degree at Canisius College in Buffalo. He then went on to obtain a Masters in Psychology at Xavier University in Cincinnati.
As a psychologist, Joe dedicated his practice to helping his clients live the lives they wanted to live, as well as inspiring those clients to offer support to their peers and communities through local organizations. He worked at several institutions over the years, including Doctors Hospital (now Adcare) and Fallon Clinic, both in Worcester, MA, Healthcare Plan in Buffalo, NY, and most recently, High Point Treatment Center in New Bedford, MA. In his personal life, Joe and Mary enjoyed decades of home improvement projects and gardening, traveling the country and beyond, and raising their daughter Sarah, who is now a psychiatrist in Maine. Joe loved kids, dogs, flowers, and baseball. The last thing he did with his wife and daughter was a Simon and Garfunkel sing-along, and the last thing playing on his TV was a Red Sox game.
Joe had early onset Alzheimer’s, and we are grateful for the excellent medical care he received. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s memory may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter at www.alz.org/manh.
We have decided to defer a memorial service to a later date, most likely in late summer, so that friends and family who live at a distance may safely join us if they wish. Joe’s obituary on www.saundersdwyer.com will be updated when service details are finalized so please check back.
