Dr. Joel Mades

Dr. Joel Mades of Venice, Florida, and formerly of Wellesley, Massachusetts, died peacefully and surrounded by family on July 16 at the age of 80 in Lake Wales, Florida. Dr. Mades was born on May 7, 1937, the son of Dr. Meyer Leonard Mades and Anne (Drucker) Mades of Revere, Massachusetts. He is survived by his son, Dean Mades, by his brother Harvey Mades and by his sister-in-law Ruth Mades, as well as by his partner in the later years of his life, Laurie Adelman. He was predeceased by his brother Michael Mades.

Dr. Mades graduated from Harvard College in 1958 and from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1962. He remained an engaged Harvard alumnus and a supporter of Harvard athletics for his entire life. Following dental school, Dr. Mades served for several years as a captain in the United States Army. In the fall of 1962, he was deployed to Florida with the Army units assigned to the potential invasion of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Dr. Mades practiced dentistry for nearly 40 years in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he touched the lives of generations of patients with his uncompromising commitment to providing excellent care, his generosity to those in need and his sense of humor. In his final years, he was a beloved presence at the Venice Friendship Centers, where he continued to help others. Dr. Mades was a man of tremendous intellectual depth and a keen student of American and world history with a large library. He was, above all else, a devoted and loving father.

A graveside service will be held at Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, Massachusetts, on Thursday, July 20, at 11:45 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Venice Friendship Centers.