Joseph H. "Joe" Berman, age 79, of Athens died Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021 as a result of a fall at his home.  Born March 13, 1942 in Akron, he was the son of the late Leonard Berman and Anna Dasch Berman.  Joe is survived by his wife, Lynda Lowe Berman; a brother, Stanley (Carole) Berman of Bethesda, MD; a niece, Geri (Adam) Gelb and their children, Julie and Jamie Gelb; a nephew, Bruce (Beth) Berman and their children, Avery and Kelly Berman; numerous brother in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

With Joe's ready smile, many talents, interests, and hobbies, he was many things to many people.

His Radio and TV students called him Dr. Joe.  To the Honors Tutorial College students he was Dean Berman.  To early students in the J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies he was Founding Director and was at the cutting edge of 1980's technology. To countless secretaries across campus he was the administrator on the phone who asked about their family and pets. To his own secretaries he encouraged leaving work for family emergencies before the practive was called flex-time. To university colleagues Joe was the committee member who could contribute at meetings because he had memorized the agenda before attending.

Joe's astounding memory was legendary. Coupled with his deep interest in others, especially with students, he would ask and remember details about people and much later would inquire about the health of someone's parent or how a son or daughter was doing in their first year of college at home or abroad.  He would see a name on a new class roster and via a few pointed questions he would determine that the student's father was a classmate of his cousin's neighbor. He loved making the connections that his good memory allowed him to make.

To students who received The Berman Family Dance Scholarship he was the donor who took them out to eat to get to know them and then followed their dance education in the front row seats of dance concerts he could not see. Nothing made Joe happier than staying in touch with and following the careers and successes of his former students. He spent many happy hours on email. He kept in touch with students who credited him with launching their careers in radio, TV, finance, and the film industry. He happily chatted with alums whom he had turned into book collectors. He was pleased to keep up with dancer scholarship students as they brought their art to the world outside of Athens. He was honored when students came back for a visit.  This overall fascination with people and facts lead to his extensive genealogical explorations with the assistance of his data digging, good friend.

Spanish speaking friends called him Jose. He was Chauncey the Clown to the cast and crew for the 1960's Merlin Show. To the seven Faulkner children (Merlin's family here in Athens) Joe was an honorary brother.  To Theo and Nivan he was Opa Joe. To Yi-Mei and Mika, he was Grandpa Joe. To Jinghong and Yen-Ling, Joe was an honorary father. He was the magical uncle or the Athens birthday party magician who could make a quarter disappear and reappear.

Joe thoroughly enjoyed the broadening influence of friendships with faculty and students from other countries. He welcomed them into his home. He enjoyed their languages, cooking, and culture. He had a facility for and a love of languages and could read and speak a bit of several different languages. After retiring he studied Spanish at the kitchen table with a friend and another friend gave him 6 years of weekly Russian lessons. Joe had an ear for music. He often played classical music, jazz, and ethnic music from other traditions. He could pick out a tune on the piano.

To music box collectors Joe was Chair of the Museum Committee for the Music Box Society International. To his Ham radio buddies, he was W9AON. To antiquarian and used bookstore friends he was a collector with eclectic interests and deep knowledge of the history of magic, the history of early telegraphy, the history of broadcasting, photography, Egyptology, pocket watches, mechanical music and, surprisingly,  pop-up books.

Joe's interest in music boxes, antiquarian books, and amateur radio began in childhood. He did his first Magic show at the age of eight.  A music box from his parents sparked his collection of antique music boxes. Likewise, his grandfather's pocket watch led to acquiring pocket watches and studying their mechanics, manufacturers and history.

To area children with disabilities he was the Act Two magician for the Very Special Arts Festival.  To recently blinded acquaintances and strangers he was an inspiration and a caring source of information on how to navigate, how to cope and how to use his favorite gadgets and technology to allow for a fuller life.  Joe carried a Rare Eye Donor card in his wallet for decades. According to his wishes his eyes were donated to the Eye Center at the National Institutes of Health. Coupled with extensive records on his condition and genetics, Joe hoped that he can continue to further research on blindness caused by retinitous pigmentosos .

To a 40 year old art teacher in Coshocton in 1991, he was the oh-so-interesting man with the beautiful voice on the phone who would become her husband. Despite Joe's lack of vision, he encouraged all forms of art and supported his wife's creative paper arts projects, which often overtook the kitchen table, seldom complaining about a late meal. He supported her long-term and extensive involvement in the Ohio Art Education Association, attending several Conventions and many events. During her elementary teaching career, he performed magic shows celebrating Right to Read Week.

To the Dairy Barn he was a board member who brought levity to the meetings.  Joe was a regular at the Athens Farmers Market, following the family lives of favorite vendors. He was honored to hold a vendor's most recent newborn baby having held the older siblings when they were babies. At Farmers Market he connected people who needed to repair a pocket-watch with his trusted watchmaker friend. He instructed grandchildren about paper engineering and mechanical music. He did magic. He shared his wide-ranging wealth of knowledge generously. And he told stories.

To Athens city he was a founding member of the Commission on Disabilities.  To residents of Charles Street he was the host of an annual home-made ice cream party.

To his brother he was a beloved younger brother who also love music and had the same disability. To his wife he was a supporting, loving, kind, and totally fascinating husband.

Joe had many titles, but to all he was loved. He inspired the best in others, leaving an indelible legacy of humanity, caring, and curiosity that lives in the hearts of all he met.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, December 29 ^th at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Athens.  Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at www.jagersfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers please consider the following charities dear to Joseph Berman: Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc., 103 Vision Way, Bloomfield, CY 06002 (This foundation has provided two guide dogs, free of charge, to his brother); The "Berman Family Scholarship in Dance' – Make check out to the Ohio Foundation, write the scholarship name on the memo line and mail to P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701; The Wash Project (founded by our nephew, which supports public health through hand-washing and access to clean water, economic opportunities for women, and helps to strengthen food security for the most vulnerable in Mali, West Africa.) Donations can be made online through the website: washproject.org or checks made out to "The Wash Project" can be mailed to The Wash Project, 2201 W. 50th St., Westwood Hills, KS 66205.