Obituary of Joseph Bernard Franzini

Joseph B. Franzini, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend of many passed away peacefully on April 15th, 2015, in Palo Alto. Joe was a friendly, intelligent, active man who was genuinely interested in others, always ready with a gentle chuckle and kind word. With his positive attitude, warm smile and lifelong curiosity, he could connect to people from all walks of life. As a professor, Joe was highly respected for his knowledge, experience and love of Civil Engineering. Joe was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico on November 10th, 1920, to Joseph Bernard, and Mary Widmann Franzini, both of whom were from St. Louis, Missouri. In 1928, Joe's family moved to El Paso, Texas. In his mid-teens, they moved to Pasadena, California, where he graduated from high school, and attended the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), to earn his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering. Graduating in the midst of World War II, he immediately followed college with Navy service. He went on to serve during World War II as a Lieutenant Junior Grade, and worked in the communications center of the Battleship USS New York. He saw action throughout the Pacific Theatre, including the Battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war, Joe married his sweetheart, Gloria Place, at the Presbyterian Church on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena in 1946. They moved to the Palo Alto area while Joe pursued his PhD in Civil Engineering at Stanford University. After graduation, he was hired by the Civil Engineering Department, and taught fluid mechanics, and water resources engineering. He continued on the Stanford faculty for 36 years, rising to Professor, and, for many years, Associate Head of Civil Engineering. During his time at Stanford, Joe especially enjoyed his interactions with international students in the graduate program, and entertained them at home with his family. On his retirement it was mentioned that one of his major strengths was his connection with his students and his ability to guide them into successful careers. For over 30 years, Dr. Franzini served as a special consultant to George S. Nolte and Associates, a civil engineering firm in San Jose. Professor Franzini worked on many water projects in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, and served as a consultant to many government agencies and private organizations, both in this country and abroad. His experience in professional practice added considerably to the scope of his teaching, as he could bring real world problems and their solutions into the classroom. In his teaching, he always stressed practicality and professionalism. He encouraged his students to participate in professional societies, to pursue registration as professional engineers, and to employ the highest ethical standards. Joe and Gloria raised four children, Joe Jr., Bob, Marilyn and Cheryl. They were members of the First Congregational Church, and Joe taught Sunday school, ushered, and served on many of the church boards. He actively supported Boy Scout Troop 59, and helped his sons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He traveled to Europe along with the Congregational Church Choir (Gloria was a member), experiencing other cultures and sharing their love of music. Joe enjoyed nature and wide-open spaces, and especially loved the desert. He took his family on many vacations to experience the Mojave Desert, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and the Arizona and New Mexico landscapes. Gloria coaxed him to start bowling once their children were older, and together they won a number of trophies through local leagues. He enjoyed helping his wife as the 'equipment and sound man' for her charitable singing career with the Unicorn's Big Band. Over the years at sites across the USA, they attended many USS New York (BB-34) Naval reunions. Before retirement, Joe revised his co-authored engineering textbooks. Two of his most notable works are Water Resources Engineering, and Fluid Mechanics with Engineering Applications. The water resources book, which is used throughout the world, is recognized as one of the most authoritative technical publications in its field. He was a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the American Institute of Hydrology. Dr. Franzini was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of California and has served as President of the San Jose Branch of the San Francisco Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. In 1994, Dr. Franzini was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council Hall of Fame for his professional accomplishments. He received the Ray K. Linsley Award from the American Institute of Hydrology honoring "the accomplishments of a giant in the field of hydrology." His consulting continued beyond retirement during which time he also began a 'new' career as an expert witness during trials for water flow, flooding issues and lawsuits. Joe Franzini was a storyteller who loved to share his boyhood stories with his children. He was a 'people person', who enjoyed outings and activities. He called his wife "the loveliest and prettiest lady in the whole world". He loved to sing in the shower, and one of his favorite expressions that usually came with a wink, and was a part of Joe's happy demeanour was "You Bet!" The family would especially like to thank Joe's longtime caregiver Edguardo DeVilla for the loyal and loving care he gave to him for over four years. Joe is survived by his wife Gloria of 68 years, his sons J.B. Franzini of Sonoma, CA and Robert Franzini (Carolyn Franzini) of Morehead, KY; his daughters Marilyn (Blake Putney) of Palo Alto, and Cheryl (Herb Pegan) of Glen Ellen, CA; five grandchildren, Maria, Benjamin, Laura, Jenni and Sam; and four great-grandchildren, Theodore, Oliver and William and sister-in -law Sylvia Norris. The memory of a good man is a blessing forever.




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