Our beloved Joe passed away peacefully on November 24, 2018. Joe's family has created this website so that loved ones can share photos and stories of Joe.
Joe is a legend. He will live on through the stories people tell and the memories people hold. Stories and photos shared on this website will help those who love Joe the most laugh and grieve in this time of great loss. Please share freely and openly-- no anecdote is too small, no photo too embarrassing. At Joe's memorial, we will be sharing memories of him. Photos posted here will be included in a slideshow, and stories you share may be told to a larger audience. If you'd like us to read your story because you can't attend, please let us know.
Joe's funeral will be held at 1 PM on Friday, November 30th at St. Anastasia's in Newtown Square, PA.
Tributes
Leave a tributeI was recently home and took a walk down Sycamore Lane…I was overwhelmed with memories of you. I am forever grateful that YOU were the guy down the street who became my life long friend. I miss catching up with you and sharing our lives. I loved the bond we shared that was never awkward or fake…simply my ‘other’ brother, born on the same day as Bobby. I miss you everyday. R.I.P my friend…Happy Birthday.
Sincerely,
Janie Z
Being on opposite sides of the country not long after graduation, we didn't get to see each other often enough, but the few times we got together at the alumni golf tournament sure were memorable. He loved to laugh and to tell jokes and be surrounded by ''the boys'', he made a connection with everyone, he asked about your wife, your kids, he remembered their names, always. He was constantly talking about his wife and his two '' girls'' though I knew he knew they should properly be called ''women'' these days. When he talked about his family you could feel the pride and love oozing out of him. It just fit him perfectly. He was also so professionally accomplished, but you'd never hear it from him. The fact that he became a doctor, as he might've put it , was a no brainer. I'm sure he did Med School like in his sleep . He was, from what I understand, world class in the field of Ophthalmology, and I can imagine everyone of his patients loved him as much as his friends did. How secure would you feel if you were a patient of Dr. Joseph Maguire? I can just picture him calming someone down who was about to have their eyes operated on. " I got this '' he'd no doubt say..'' done it a million times... not to worry.'' I know for all of us he was always available for advice, or consultation or recommendation, or to answer a stupid question like '' what about those drugstore magnifiers do those hurt your eyes?" ( He said no. ) He was always ready to talk on the phone or send an email or a text. We were all stunned and devastated beyond belief by the news that he was sick, and wasn't it just like him to keep it quiet ? He didn't want to bother anyone. We all understood that was his choice and we respected it but if we had know sooner, I don' t know, maybe we could have helped him ? Comforted him and his family longer ? We knew the prognosis wasn't good but we hoped for .. what.. a miracle ? New treatment? More time ? Something ? It wasn't to be. We made our peace with it and said our tentative goodbyes in the best way we could. Then that terrible text from Kenny the morning after Thanksgiving with the news we never wanted to hear. And then after he passed away, to learn that he lost his wife Pat too ? Bridget and Maeve lost both parents ? Incomprehensible. Life is way too cruel, too unfair as if we had to be reminded of that. If Joe had been stricken with something else, and could've been helped or saved with something from his friends, an organ transplant, a blood donation, anything, there would've been a line from Philly stretching 100 miles long in five minutes. Dr. Joe Maguire embraced life and lived it fully, leaves two beautiful young ladies as a legacy, as well as countless grieving friends who will never forget him or the all too brief but brilliant bright line he shone on the world .
I will keep him and his family in my prayers.
Thank you for everything Doctor Maguire.
I knew Joey in high school…before all his huge accomplishments, all his degrees and all his awards….yet I knew, even back then, he was someone special.
I don’t remember exactly how we met…all I know is that our friendship was instantaneous and without any high school teenage awkwardness. We just clicked.
45 years later, no distance or separations could diminish our friendship. The second we spoke, texted or saw each other, we fell right back into our teasing easy banter. We called each other 'sis’ and ‘bro’ and my family loved him like he was one of us.
He was the boy down the street that picked me up every morning to take me to high school. Every morning he got out of the driver seat to open my passenger door. And every morning I’d say to Joey, don’t waste your gallantry on me….but he just couldn’t stop being the perfect gentleman. Every mom wanted their sons to be like him, every mom wanted their daughters to date him.
He was always kind, always polite, always with a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his lips…always ready with a quick, witty comment, always there for anyone who needed him and always the best listener.
Yes,… his accomplishments were many …but his greatest gift was the genuine love, passion and integrity he shown for his family, friends, co-workers and patients.
I have been blessed with stand up men in my life….my dad, my brother and Joey…and they all lived on Sycamore Lane.
Joey…please reserve a property down the street from yours in Heaven … so we can pick up where we left off….
How great it has been to know the likes of you. You are forever in my heart….
He remains in my heart and mind as a fine person and fine physician.
Joey was:
- Always a gentleman (and various college shenanigans tested this!)
- A scholar
- A devoted friend, husband and father
- and a nice guy to the core
You'll be missed, big guy.
My deepest condolences to Maeve and Bridget...he always lit up when he talked about you. He loved you to the moon and back.
I have listed a few quotes of Dr. Maguire and a few more from noted poets Joe would use to capture a moment on our email chain of 180 plus Ephs. I am not a tech person so I am still searching for a few older quotes but some of my classmates have helped me gather the ones listed below.
I would only add at this time my favorite quote “Noli Timere” which comes from the Bible when Jesus is walking across (on) the water and tells his disciples not to be afraid as the storm approaches. The Irish poet Seamus Heaney used it when he wrote to his wife moments before passing, “Noli Timere”.
Your dad will always be in the hearts of the class of 79 and all who were blessed to spend just a moment with him. I know he would smile at Maeve’s “Law of Snowboarding” or her recognition that we are all works in progress. Believe me, at 61 I am still getting there (wherever there is). I wanted you to know how much your dad will be missed and hope you reach out anytime you need to.
God Bless
Gerry Kelly 79
Joe Maguire
Sun, December 31, 2017 5:03 PM
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, but rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death.
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.
-Walt Whitman
“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun
shakespeare
1/17/2010 4:15 PM, Joe Maguire wrote:
Think where mans glory most begins and ends -
and say my glory was I had such friends.
WB Yeats
Thu, Jan 5, 2017, 5:31 PM
(Joe responding to Tim Layden’s (Williams ’78) article on Tom Brady in Sports Illustrated)
, Great read Tim.
"Thanks to the human heart by which we live..."
Small acts of kindness cost nothing, but have infinite value.
J
These words were written by Dr. Maguire on 12/28/14 to console a grieving Mike Spound.
“There is never great loss without great pain as we eventually all must say good-bye, but that is surely a measure of how great it was to know someone like him.”
God Bless.
He enjoyed every moment of sharing his knowledge about the retina. After a long clinic he would say to the resident or visitor of the day "Hey I'll show you that video...". That man was a one of a kind. In our down time he would often talk about his girls, you just knew he was a great Dad and loved his family. Sometimes he would talk about his friends and his college days. We would all gather around to listen to his stories in hallway A and laugh. I can still see him coming around the corner in his white jacket. On Thursdays he would come up between cases and give us some quick comedy relief during our busy day. Oh we we miss him. MAR will never be the same, for he left a big void in our hearts. I miss him and his beautiful smile and loving eyes. He made us all feel special and we were lucky to have worked with him, to have known him, and that's why we loved him.
I am grateful for our talks about investments and markets. How you were concerned for fair treatment in the markets: yes we had stimulating discussions.
I am blessed to have worked with you and to have known you. You made my game better when we talked. You were always upbeat.
"Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,"
Joe you have crossed the bar ...
I hope you see our pilot face to face, When You
have crossed the bar....
And I know you are preparing the way for us! We will try not to Moan as the poem says.
So adeu my friend ...you have left us but will never be forgotten! Our prayers are with you and Patricia.
As I read about him, I see that he certainly has made a difference.
And even though we were just Facebook friends at this point, Joe will always be a part of my memories.
I've just learned,today, (11/30/18) that Joe was born on June 29th a significant date in my life, as I met and photographed the most influential performers on my life: Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones (1975) Stephen Stills and Neil Young (1976). Joe's in good company, needless to say, I'll always remember the day Joe Maguire started his journey in life.
Late February of my 1st year of fellowship before clinic Dr. Maguire pulled me into a room to talk privately. I had no idea why; I didn’t know him that well at the time and assumed I had done something. Instead he told me he saw I did not get a research grant fellowship and just wanted to tell me personally that I was doing a great job as a fellow and researcher, that he was proud of me, and to keep working hard. It meant a ton to me as a young man early in my career to hear that from him.
Leave a Tribute
I was recently home and took a walk down Sycamore Lane…I was overwhelmed with memories of you. I am forever grateful that YOU were the guy down the street who became my life long friend. I miss catching up with you and sharing our lives. I loved the bond we shared that was never awkward or fake…simply my ‘other’ brother, born on the same day as Bobby. I miss you everyday. R.I.P my friend…Happy Birthday.
Sincerely,
Janie Z
My loving experience
He was the only Doctor in the practice to come visit me. He said “that is the right thing to do “when I thanked him.
Sweet soul!
Rest in Peace
High school days
Joe was my announcing partner for the girls basketball team. I always seemed to be a step behind. I was still doing play by play on previous action while the game was getting away from me. Joe, on the other hand, was able to keep it in present tense. Of course he was constantly cracking me up which didn't help!
On another more serious note, when my girlfriend after high school broke up with me I was heartbroken. Joe took it upon himself, uninvited, to come to my house to make sure I was ok. Back then guys didn't do that kind of thing. It was very appreciated.
JOEY was and is one of a kind. I'm better for having known him.
Stories of Joey that make me smile
NPHS Senior Ball 1975 : It's 3 weeks to the Senior Prom…the last Prom I will ever attend…my gown is hanging in my closet and my boyfriend decides to break up with me….I, being “Prom Chairman”, put a lot of time and preparation into our final dance - themed “We May Never Pass This Way Again”… and it was looking like I was not even going to pass this way ONCE. As always, I shared my latest ‘boy drama’ with Joey,…and unbeknown to me, he asks his girlfriend, who is a Junior, if she would mind if he took me to the Senior Ball instead of her since I was a Senior and Prom Chairman!!! I mean, who does that??? What High School boy sacrifices an evening of dance, fun and …. with his girlfriend, to attend the dance with the girl next door??? Well….Joey did ! And to his Junior class girlfriend (you know who you are)…thank you for giving me this happy memory with Joey!
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Graduation - June 10th 1975 The Class of 1975 Graduated on my 18th Birthday….. Joey was Class President and I was Class Secretary. After the Graduation ceremony Joey invited the entire class to my Graduation / Birthday party….my Mom loved that!!
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Night in Venice : Relationships were never my strong suit, but thank God for Joey cause he was always there for me when I needed an escort. I was a contestant in the Ocean City Nights in Venice pageant and starved myself all summer striving to meet my goal weight and fit in my old 501’s! Joey, (my escort) and parents came to the pageant….. which I promptly lost! The minute it was over, Joey said let’s celebrate with hot fudge sundaes and chocolate cake!! It was one of my happiest memories with Joey and my Mom & Dad just the 4 of us indulging in chocolate decadence. I could always be myself with Joe…it didn’t matter if I had hot fudge dripping down my face, or when he would pop over and I would meet him with no make up and my flannel night gown on…. We called each other Sis and Bro. In fact he shares the same birthday as my brother. I think about that debate in the movie "When Harry met Sally" and if Men & Women can really be just friends…….Joey & I know it is an undeniable fact!