Joel A. Gingras Sr. Service Information

Joel A. Gingras, Sr., of Doylestown, PA died on Monday, November 4, 2024, at his home with his family by his side. He was 86 years old.

Joel was the beloved husband of 63 years to Mary LaFave Gingras and father of the late Joel A. Gingras, Jr.

Originally from Malone, NY, he was the son of the late George and Isabel (Graves) Gingras.

Joel graduated from Colgate University with a degree in Natural Science. He worked for the FBI as a handwriting specialist while attending George Washington University Law school in the evening.  During the difficult times of the 1960's, Joel decided to leave his job and law school and enroll in the Naval Officer Candidate school to become an EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) expert.  Joel served 2 years aboard the USS HORNET (CVS12) as Division and EOD Officer, Officer of the Deck (OOD) and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant. He served his final years in the Navy as Division Supervisor stationed at the EOD U.S. Naval School.

Joel went on to work for American Cyanamid in the chemical light division. The company received a contract from the U.S. Navy to develop chemiluminescent light. Joel was responsible for broadening the market beyond the military for the Cyalume ChemLight “glow stick”.  One notable example of his efforts was the use of these light sticks at the closing ceremony of the 1976 Olympics by a crowd of 80,000 people. Joel was featured on “Good Morning America” for this work and continued to educate and promote the use of light sticks to the consumer market. To this day, these light sticks are still widely used by the U.S. Military and a staple at most every party store, sporting event and concert.

Joel was a man of many talents, an avid golfer, antique collector & restorer, painter and wood worker. He loved watching his sons/grandsons play ice hockey and being a vocal fan at any of his grandchildren’s sporting events, plays or school ceremonies. He was sentimental and preserved his family history by gifting framed photos, letters and memories of his ancestors. He took great joy in the simple things, finding treasures during his antiquing expeditions, restoring an old clock to keep time again, visiting the Adirondacks or even just sitting on his front porch sharing his quick wit and humor with neighbors who happened to be passing by.  His most treasured moments were all things JAG FUND, time spent with family and his beloved Mary.

He was loyal, generous, strong willed and caring. “OMG” (Old Man Gingras), “Pops”, “Pum Pum” was greatly loved and respected. He was considered a father figure by many outside the Gingras family and will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

In addition to his loving wife, Joel is survived by his five children, Lisa, Johnathan (Sandra), Martha (Robert Baisch), Christian (Kate) and Matthew (Nichole Pugliese). He was the brother of Sylvia Baker, Annette (Will Hobbs) and Mary (Bob Ryan). He is also survived by his twelve adoring grandchildren Austin, Benjamin, Sara “SJ”, Ryan, Will, Lila, Scarlet, Anna, Brady, Juliet, Joel Francis and Hank.

Joel’s family will receive relatives and friends from 4:00 - 7:00PM on Monday, November 25, 2024 at the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Ave., (at Sandy Ridge Rd.) New Britain, PA 18901. 

The Funeral Service will begin at 10:45am on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Doylestown, PA 18902.  If you are unable to attend in person, the service will be available via www.olguadalupe.org/org-live-masses. 

His interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the JAG Fund, (Joel A. Gingras, Jr. Memorial Foundation) 955 Red Coat Farm Dr. Chalfont, PA 18914. www.jagfund.org

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