Joseph Brun DiGiorgio

Brun's dad passed away in December.

Dr. Joseph Brun DiGiorgio, age 91, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2023, in Sacramento, CA. He was born on August 4, 1932, in San Francisco, CA. Joseph was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, neighbor, partner, and teacher. He is survived by his children: Joseph Brun DiGiorgio Jr., Ann DiGiorgio Khan, Edward Valdis DiGiorgio, James Irwin Bourbeau, Kathleen DiGiorgio Wright, Carol DiGiorgio Kensiski, James Salvatore DiGiorgio, and Heather Frances Bourbeau. He was also survived by his sister, Carmela Catherine (CeCe) DiGiorgio Brooks, and eleven grandchildren. Joseph was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Brun DiGiorgio, father, Salvatore Armond DiGiorgio, sister, Paula DiGiorgio Brooks, his first wife Velta Erdmanis DiGiorgio, and his second wife Carol Bourbeau DiGiorgio. Joseph had an impressive educational background, having attended Wenatchee High School and Johns Hopkins University. He met his first wife Velta when giving tours of campus to new students. They both received their PhDs in Chemistry while studying together at JHU. He was initiated into Tau Beta Pi in 1954, and would later join and serve as an officer in Phi Kappa Phi.

Joseph was a great nephew of Joseph DiGiorgio, founder of the family named international fruit company of the 20th Century. He worked in the company orchards near Wenatchee, WA with his high school friends, and with his father at the fruit exchange auctions at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Joseph developed an early interest in science, including engineering rapid exothermic reactions while in High School. While at JHU he converted his family's dog kennel into his own private chemistry lab where he entertained family and neighborhood children with his experiments.

Dr. DiGiorgio's scientific career spanned several notable positions, including working at the National Research Council Canada in Ottawa from 1961 to 1964. He then became a Chemistry Professor at California State University, Sacramento, where he dedicated himself to his passion for teaching for the next 50 years. He was proud of his involvement in the design of the labs and obtaining grant funding for instruments for students' use at the new Sequoia Hall science building at CSUS. His expertise led him to become an owner of AAI and then NTT Labs, where he developed national standard methods and crafted handmade apparatus for transformer oil dissolved gas analysis, serving electric utility clients worldwide.

Outside of his professional life, Joseph enjoyed engaging in scientific education by serving as a science fair judge and building gadgets to demonstrate scientific principles at his children's and grandchildren's neighborhood schools. He joined both his wives in attending his children's and grandchildren's sporting and special events, continuing with this on his own well past his 90th birthday. He served as President of the River Park Little League. He was also an avid coin and stamp collector and would solve crossword and sudoku puzzles using an ink pen. He had a love of classical music and opera, especially that of Luisa Tetrazzini, who was a family friend and godmother to his mother.

A memorial service will be held on February 2, 2024, at 10:00 am at W.F. Gormley & Sons Funeral Chapel, located at 2015 Capitol Ave. Sacramento, CA. Burial with his wife Carol following at St. Mary's Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests tribute donations be made to the charity of your choice and/or the Building for God Community Foundation. The vision for this foundation was planted by his sister Paula in the heart of her oldest son, Michael O. Brooks. Its mission is to provide seed funding and business expertise for local charities in the Baltimore area, so they can grow sustainably, without relying on government grants, thereby ensuring their missions truly Perseverando.