Joseph Moosally

Joseph Moosally passed away of natural causes at his home in Mankato, Minnesota, on July 17, 2023 at the age of 89.

Joe was born to Jamila Yazigi and George Moosally in northern Syria in 1934.  He was the oldest in his family, with one brother and four sisters.  As a young man, Joe loved to read novels in French and Arabic and go to the movies to watch American films.  He finished high school in Damascus and though he completed a law degree at the University of Damascus, it was his dream to come to America. He was accepted to the University of Minnesota where he earned a master’s degree in Economics and, most importantly, met his beloved wife Beatrice.  They married in 1964 and then spent three years in Iowa where Joe finished his doctorate in Economics and Bea taught at the University of Iowa.  They settled in Mankato and joined the faculty at Mankato State College in 1969. In March 1970, Bea and Joe welcomed daughter Michelle.  Joe retired from MSU in 1996.

Unaffected, generous, observant, and often unconventional, Joe was dedicated to the comfort and well-being of friends and family. He loved watching musicals and old movies, playing tennis, and offering investment advice.  He was always a willing teacher of backgammon to the uninitiated.  Appreciative of cultural diversity, Joe traveled widely with his wife and daughter.  As the first in his family to immigrate, Joe encouraged and supported many in his family to find opportunities in the United States.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife Beatrice and is survived by his daughter Michelle and her husband Sam, and Rebecca and Bryan Moore and their children Terry and Linnea.  He is survived by brother Sam (Diane), sisters Jacqueline, Josephine, Samira (Jean-Claude), and Nadia (Dennis), as well as beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and dearest friends including Diane and Susanne.

Memorials can be made in Joseph Moosally’s name to the Joe and Bea Moosally International Student Endowed Scholarship Fund at Minnesota State University Mankato or to a charity of your choice.

A celebration of Joe’s life will be held at 5:00 pm, Saturday, July 22, 2023, at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary with a gathering for family and friends one hour prior.  A light dinner will follow at Northview. The service will be livestreamed and available below.