Joseph Clement Camillus

CAMILLUS, Joseph Clement (“Joe” and “Sonny”), age 78, of Centerville, Ohio passed away Sunday, August 8, 2021. Joe was born in 1943 in Chennai, India to V.J. Camillus and Anne (Arouje) Camillus. He graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from A.C. College of Technology, Madras University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Joe lived in Andover, Massachusetts and worked at Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge and Waltham, MA for 20 years before moving to Dayton, Ohio to work at Mead Imaging (later called “Cycolor”). His roles included senior leadership positions in operations and process management, and his accomplishments included multiple patents.

Affectionately called “Sonny” by friends and family from India, Joe was known for a consistently sunny disposition, sense of humor, and generous spirit. In Chennai, he was President of the All India Catholic University Federation and participated in athletic activities, including field hockey and boxing. Later in life, he also enjoyed playing tennis.

Joseph was a scientist to the core. When his children were young, his favorite hobby was raising tropical fish, including breeding feeder shrimp with laboratory-grade hot plates and beakers. As a teacher by nature, and with deep dedication to his children’s education and success, he spent endless hours building their confidence and skills in math and sciences, as well as sports.

In his retirement, Joe picked up ballroom dancing and loved participating in Arthur Murray stage performances. He learned to play bridge and earned the American Contract Bridge League’s (ACBL) Life Master designation. Joe loved to cheer on India in global cricket matches. He also completed the NY Times crossword puzzle daily, with a personal record of having finished 1,000+ in a row.

Joe is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 33 years, Mary Jo (Herr) Camillus; his parents; numerous in-laws; and a nephew. He is survived by his brother, John; six children, Sheila, John, Tina, Becky, David, and Katie; 18 grandchildren; and numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews. Due to the Covid pandemic and presence of unvaccinated children, the family will have a private mass and memorial service starting at 10:30 a.m. Eastern on August 17th. Both will be streamed on Zoom and recorded for later viewing. Contact Sheila at camilluss@hotmail.com for a link to attend virtually.

If desired, memorial contributions can be made to Catholic Relief Services or St. Vincent De Paul.