Joe (Joseph) Morel (Mizrahi)

Joseph Charles Morel was born on September 29, 1925 on the Greek island of Rhodes. Because they were Jewish, he and his family went into hiding when the war began. After the war ended, he emigrated to New York, changing his name from Mizrachi to Morel. Joe attended City College of New York, and UC Berkeley, obtaining a masters degree in romance languages. In 1950, he fought in Korea. In 1956, his daughter Suzanne was born. Joe was a language teacher at College of Marin where he met Mia Olson. They were married in 1974 and had two sons together, Joseph (Pepi) and Michael. Joe loved life and found delight in everything around him -- from the bustle of the city to the wonders of nature and gardening. He loved to tell stories, cook and converse with friends. He loved Berkeley and the political café scene, in which he partook vigorously. Anyone who knew Joe can say that he was enthusiastic about everything he believed in. He died from Alzheimer's Disease on April 11th, 2008. He is survived by his wife Mia Morel, his sons Pepi Morel and Mike Morel, his daughter Suzanne Lorenz, his cousin Becky Contopoulos, and many other relatives.