Our family is very sad to announce the passing of Joseph Linguanti. He is survived by his beloved wife Shelley, son Giorgio (Tasha), son James, daughter Carmen (Gavin), and grandchildren Leonardo, Donna, Mary, Caleb and Finn. He is also survived by sisters Joanna, Frances, and Nina (Dennis), numerous nieces and nephews and extended family in Canada and in Europe.
Joe was born in Belgium to Sicilian parents. His family immigrated to Canada and settled in Kitimat, where his mother and father worked hard to make a good life for their six children. There, the children all went to school, played sports, worked, and made lifelong friends. Joe moved to Victoria in the early 1970’s to attend university and earned a degree in Math and Computer Sciences. After completing his degree Joe was offered a job at the Institute of Ocean Sciences where he spent his entire career. He loved his job and the many duties he was assigned, especially latterly where he worked both nationally and internationally. Of course, being Joe, he made friends all along the way and kept in touch with many.
Joe was passionate, opinionated, honourable and loyal. His deep voice, his presence in a room and his strong desire to bring people together will be missed by all who knew him.
A Memorial will be held in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC V8Y 1B4 on Friday, May 15th, 2026, at 2:00 pm. A reception will follow.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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25 Responses
I only worked at IOS for a short time but have many fond memories of Joe at work and through softball. He will be missed by many.
My deepest sympathy to Franca, Joanna and Nina, and families on the passing of your big brother Joe. I rmemeber him from Kildala school, and how protective he was over his family. He was a good sport. Blessings to you all.
Tamara McCullough (nee Koch)
Joe was a close friend for many years, beginning with our shared experiences at the Institute of Ocean Sciences. He hosted Bill’s retirement party, tended the BBQ at our wedding reception, organized the weekly golf events and annual tournament. He and Shelly guided us on a wonderful tour of Sicily. We shared so many wonderful times together including weekly breakfasts among the four retirees: Bill, Mike and Ken. Joe always stood out for his attention to others. One aspect of Joe that we wish we had told him when he was alive is that when he spoke, people listened. He had a special presence that inspired others to want to hear what he was saying. Maybe because he had messages worth listening to; maybe because his caring nature inspired us to listen. It was pure charisma. We miss him and our times together dearly.
Joe was a congenial colleague and office neighbour of mine at the Institute of Ocean Sciences. His was a friendly welcoming face when I arrived from the east to join the Frozen Sea Research Group almost 50 years ago, and like me and many others, a lifer there. He frequently joined the sometimes rowdy, sometimes argumentative, always entertaining Frozen People, for coffee just down the hall from his office. Joe’s homemade sausage was eagerly awaited at that group’s annual Christmas get-together. As seemingly undernourished nerds who had “grown up” at university with little culinary sophistication, we were not modest about how much delicious sausage we scooped up. Joe’s “amusement” with our outrageous behaviour never seemed to interfere with his generosity, although privately he may have had doubts about our emotional maturity. From time to time, when the frustration of public service employment was getting to him, he would saunter two doors down to my office for a rant-therapy session. I’m not sure which one of us was the therapist and which the client, but we would both part after a while feeling rejuvenated. Joe was prominent among those at IOS who made working there, on balance, a great pleasure, who us reluctant to “move along”. Knowing him has been a valued experience of my life. In sadness, I offer my sympathy on Joe’s passing to Shelley and all his family and friends.
To the Linguanti Family,
We were saddened to learn of Joe’s passing. Our thoughts are with all of you during these difficult and sad days.