Mr. Joseph Garfield Moss Jr.

Joseph Garfield Moss Jr. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the late Joseph Garfield Moss Sr. and Rebecca (Range) Moss. Raised in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, Joe grew up in a close-knit Black community that instilled in him the values of excellence, discipline, service, and perseverance. As an only child, he learned early the importance of family, friendship, and community — principles that would guide him throughout his life. As a young man, Joe excelled academically and athletically. He attended a pre-engineering program at Carnegie Mellon University and was active in Boy Scouts and organized sports. Basketball was his first love. Upon entering the University of Detroit, he attempted to walk onto the men’s basketball team. Although that dream did not materialize, his athleticism caught the attention of the university’s fencing team captain, who recruited him as a Sabre fencer. Joe would go on to help the University of Detroit’s nationally recognized fencing program achieve championship success. On September 9, 1971, Joe experienced one of the defining moments of his life when he was initiated into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated through the Chi Gamma Chapter at the University of Detroit. The fraternity’s Four Cardinal Principles — Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift — became lifelong guides that shaped the way he lived, served, and connected with others. For Joe, Omega was far more than an organization, it was family. As an only child with no brothers by blood, he treasured the bonds of brotherhood he found through Omega Psi Phi. The fraternity enriched his life, expanded his family, and connected him to lifelong friends and brothers across generations and across the nation. Joseph Garfield Moss Jr. A Life Defined by Leadership, Brotherhood, and Service joseph Garfield Moss Jr. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the late Joseph Garfield Moss Sr. and Rebecca (Range) Moss. Raised in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, Joe grew up in a close-knit Black community that instilled in him the values of excellence, discipline, service, and perseverance. As an only child, he learned early the importance of family, friendship, and community — principles that would guide him throughout his life. As a young man, Joe excelled academically and athletically. He attended a pre-engineering program at Carnegie Mellon University and was active in Boy Scouts and organized sports. Basketball was his first love. Upon entering the University of Detroit, he attempted to walk onto the men’s basketball team. Although that dream did not materialize, his athleticism caught the attention of the university’s fencing team captain, who recruited him as a Sabre fencer. Joe would go on to help the University of Detroit’s nationally recognized fencing program achieve championship success. On September 9, 1971, Joe experienced one of the defining moments of his life when he was initiated into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated through the Chi Gamma Chapter at the University of Detroit. The fraternity’s Four Cardinal Principles — Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift — became lifelong guides that shaped the way he lived, served, and connected with others. For Joe, Omega was far more than an organization, it was family. As an only child with no brothers by blood, he treasured the bonds of brotherhood he found through Omega Psi Phi. The fraternity enriched his life, expanded his family, and connected him to lifelong friends and brothers across generations and across the nation. Joseph Garfield Moss Jr. A Life Defined by Leadership, Brotherhood, and Service. Commission (SFPUC) to seismically upgrade the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. This was a critical project because the reservoir served millions of Californians. Among the projects closest to his heart was his work in Flint, Michigan, where he helped launch and oversee the city’s large-scale lead service line replacement initiative following the Flint water crisis. The effort ultimately led to the replacement of tens of thousands of service lines and represented a critical step toward restoring safe drinking water for Flint residents. Moss often measured success not by contracts won or projects completed, but by the lives improved through infrastructure. His body of work created lasting benefits for communities across North America and the Caribbean. Roads, water systems, treatment facilities, and public works projects stand today as enduring evidence of his commitment to public service through engineering excellence. Yet those who worked alongside him remember something even more significant — his leadership. Moss was fearless in business, strategic in thought, generous with his knowledge, and unwavering in his support of others. He was a gifted communicator, a trusted mentor, and a builder of teams. Whether advising executives, guiding young professionals, or supporting clients facing difficult challenges, Moss led with integrity, wisdom, and humor. His impact can be measured not only in infrastructure built, but also in careers launched, leaders developed, and lives changed. Moss ‘The Omega Man’ For more than five decades, Moss embodied what it meant to be an Omega Man. Initiated into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated through Chi Gamma Chapter in September of 1971, Moss remained steadfast in his commitment to the fraternity and its ideals for fifty-five years. Though he never sought elected office within the organization, his influence was profound and far-reaching. Moss’ presence was a constant at chapter meetings, district gatherings, leadership conferences, conclaves, and fraternity celebrations. He served as a bridge between generations of Omega men, connecting brothers whose paths otherwise might never have crossed. His professional success made him respected, but his humility, authenticity, and loyalty made him beloved. Omega Psi Phi’s motto, “Friendship Is Essential to the Soul”, was more than a phrase to Moss, it was a way of life. He cultivated lifelong friendships, mentored younger brothers, and offered encouragement, wisdom, and counsel whenever it was needed. He understood that brotherhood was not an event or a title. It was a lifelong commitment. To countless brothers, Moss was a trusted confidant, a mentor, a role model, and a friend. He personified the fraternity’s Four Cardinal Principles — Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift — in every season of his life. His Omega journey was not defined by the positions he held, but by the relationships he built and the lives he touched. A Legacy of Impact Joseph Garfield Moss, Jr. leaves to cherish his memory his beloved daughters – Monica (Dean), Michele (Roderick), Jessica (Dave), their mother Miriam, treasured grandchildren – Dean, Mariah, Paris, Arden, Roderick, Ryan, and Max; Aunt Pearl Moss; cousins – Thomas Moss Jr (Tanya), Tracee Bowie, Sara Webb (Phil), Mishelle Kennedy, Steven Moss, Christopher Bowie, Wendy and Cameron Bowie, Jennifer Hawkins, William Moss Sr., William Moss, Jr (Kim), Nikki Moss, Jelanai Moss, Shomari Moss, Erma Moss, DeEtta Moss, Marc Moss, Tonya Gaddis, Riley Moss, Tiffany Moss, Tempest Moss; and countless other family members, friends, colleagues, and generations of Brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Moss’ legacy is reflected in the family he loved, the communities he helped build, the professionals he mentored, and the brotherhood he strengthened. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Tributes

Mr. Joseph Garfield Moss Jr.

May 15, 1952 - June 15, 2026