MULCAHY, Joseph Aloysius Mulcahy -
April 6, 1933 - June 14, 2023
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Joseph Mulcahy of Brooklin, Ontario, who passed away peacefully, with family at his side, on June 14, 2023 at the age of 90.
Predeceased by his wife Mary (Lorefice), parents Margaret and Maurice Mulcahy of Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland, and siblings Patricia, Michael, John, Geraldine, Mary, Dennis, and Francis.
He is survived by his children Sheila (Dave) Domanski, Joanne (Kent) Anderson, Christine (Frank) Schoenrock, Joseph (Virginia) Mulcahy and Thomas (Rhonda) Mulcahy.
Also survived by his grandchildren Tarren, Katya, Joseph, Conrad, Kristen, Sarah, Liam, Keegan, Natalie, Michael and Max. And great grandchildren Ava, Samuel and Ella. Joe will be fondly missed by his remaining sibling, his sister Sheila Radway.
Joe immigrated to Canada in 1953 as a young electro-mechnical engineer to work for Westinghouse in Montreal and then Toronto. He later worked for Co-Steel where he began a significant career in the metals industry. He moved his family to Brooklin in 1967.
By then, he had become the lead electrical engineer who built Lasco Steel (now Gerdeau) in Whitby that created hundreds of jobs in the community.
He eventually branched off on his own, patenting electro-magnetic stirring (EMS) under the name J. Mulcahy Enterprises (JME). The company was sold in 2000 to ABB where his son, Tom, manages the JME division in Whitby. Joe continued to consult internationally in metals manufacturing as late as the last year of his life.
Joe is a life member of the Association for Iron and Steel Technology and is recognized worldwide for his advancement in metals manufacturing. One of his more controversial efforts in the steel industry was his passion to limit primary metal production and promote mini mills that run on recycled materials rather than mining raw material from the ground, such as what Gerdeau now does.
A pioneer in this area, he was often dismissed but persevered in advocating for better environmental processes.
His strong sense of community was evident in his numerous local contributions that included: sponsoring Whitby Iroquois Soccer Club, being a board member of the Whitby Figure Skating Club, being a Knight in the Knights of Columbus, advocating for the building of the original St. Leo’s School and St. Leo Parish, donating significantly to the construction of the new St. Leo’s Church, mentoring hundreds of men and women with mental health issues and addictions for over 45 years, volunteering with the Paul J. Sullivan Centre, sponsoring and supporting a refugee family fleeing Vietnam in the 70s, and supporting his wife, Mary, in her campaigns for the Canadian Cancer Society.
Joe’s faith was strong and, into his late 80s, he could often be found at St. Leo’s for mass. He will always be remembered for that faith, his devoted caring for his wife, especially in her last years with Altzeimer’s, and for the soft snowy white hair he had for 60 years.
Much of his charitable work will be unmarked as one of his many favourite phrases was, “A true act of charity goes unknown."
Please join the family for visitation on June 19, 2023, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm at BARNES MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, Brooklin. On June 20, 2023.
Mass will be at 11:00 am at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Brooklin. Internment will follow at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, with reception afterwards at St. Leo’s Catholic Church Hall.
In lieu of flowers donations, may be made in Joseph’s name to Princess Margaret Cancer Treatment Centre.
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