Mr. Joseph Grafton Gall

Joseph Grafton Gall of Baltimore, MD died at his home from heart failure on September 12, 2024 at the age of 96. Joe was a 1945 graduate of the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, earned his B.A. from Yale University in 1948, and his Ph.D. in Biology from Yale in 1952. Joe began his professional career as an Assistant Professor in the Zoology Department at the University of Minnesota from 1952 to 1963. In 1963, he moved to New Haven CT to accept an appointment as Professor in the Biology Department at Yale University. In order to continue his bench research with less administrative responsibilities, he moved in 1983 to the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Embryology in Baltimore. Throughout his research career, he additionally mentored students, taught undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and others at U. Minn., Yale, the Carnegie Institution, and as an adjunct faculty member in the Johns Hopkins Department of Biology. He retired from research in 2020 at the age of 92. His research focused on illuminating the structure and functions of the cell nucleus and its organelles, for which he received numerous awards. He was noted for being an early champion of women in science. For more information, see https://carnegiescience.edu/news/joseph-gall-father-modern-cell-biology-dead-96. The things most important to Joe in his life were his family, interpersonal relations, and scientific integrity. He was interested in everything, had broad knowledge of science and the history of biology and optics. He was insightful, kind, good-natured, generous, and beloved by all. He was preceded in death by his brothers John C. Gall, Jr. and Howard S. Gall. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Diane M. Dwyer, his first wife Dolores Gall, his sister-in law Carol Gall, his son Lawrence F. Gall (Nancy Barrer), his daughter Barbara G. Eidel (Stewart Eidel), and this three granddaughters Jennifer Barrer-Gall (David Bedar), Lillian Eidel, and Shelby Eidel. In lieu of flowers, friends may support the Life Sciences Research Foundation (lsrf.org) and BioEYES (www.bioeyes.org) in Joe’s memory. A funeral will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, 5603 North Charles St., Baltimore 21210 on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 2 p.m. in the main sanctuary. A memorial service to celebrate his life and scientific contributions will be held at a later date. Burial will be in Upperville VA.

Mr. Joseph Grafton Gall

April 14, 1928 - September 12, 2024