Joseph Patrick Noonan Obituary (1944 - 2018)

Joseph P. Noonan, 73, a resident of Gloucester, passed away on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family following a two year battle with cancer. He was the beloved husband of Sandra Louise (Allen) Noonan. He was born in Cambridge on August 19, 1944 and was a son of the late Patrick Joseph and Nora (Santos) Noonan. Joseph received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from Tufts University. He began his career with Raytheon Company in 1970. In 1978 he founded Bedford Research Associates, a mathematical analysis and scientific software firm. He served as President of Bedford Research until joining the faculty of the Electrical Engineering Department of Tufts University in 1985 where his specialty areas were Statistical Communication and Signal Processing. Joseph has published over 100 papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings and is the 1992 recipient of the Leibner Award for Outstanding Teaching at Tufts University. He is past chair of the department as well as consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense. A former student created the Joseph P. Noonan Outstanding Doctoral Research Prize as a scholarship in Joseph's honor, which made him very proud. Joseph was a member of the Gloucester Lodge of Elks and the New England Antique Radio Club. He loved sailing, taking cruises and dancing. He was affectionately known as the 'dancing professor'. Joseph's greatest enjoyment in life was spending time in the company of his loving family. In addition to his wife, Joseph is survived by his children; Sandra Holloway and her husband Howard of Townsend, Joseph Noonan and his wife Melanie of Gardner, Scott Noonan and his wife Saho of Hong Kong, Michael Noonan and his wife Amy of Westford, and Elizabeth Petros and her husband John of Groton, 13 grandchildren and his brother Philip Noonan and his wife Paula of Middlefield, CT. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 1 to 5 pm at the BLAKE CHELMSFORD FUNERAL HOME, 24 Worthen St., CHELMSFORD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 11 o'clock at St. Mary Parish, 25 North Rd., CHELMSFORD followed by interment in Pine Ridge Cemetery, CHELMSFORD. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Make A Wish Foundation, 1 Bullfinch Place, #201, Boston, MA 02114 (www.wish.org) First Visitation April 15, 2018 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home 24 Worthen Street Chelmsford, MA 01824 Mass of Christian Burial Information April 16, 2018 11:00am, St. Mary Parish 25 North Road Chelmsford, MA 01824 Interment Location April 16, 2018 11:00am, Pine Ridge Cemetery 130 Billerica Road Chelmsford, MA 01824