Joseph Adler, beloved husband, father, grandfather, educator and lifelong learner, passed away on August 17, 2025, at the age of 93.
He was the devoted husband and best friend of Esther Adler, and a loving father to Lincoln and Franklin. Joseph will be remembered for his brilliant intellect, gentle spirit, and kind personality. He had a deep love for teaching, singing folk songs, listening to opera, traveling the world, and nurturing his lifelong thirst for knowledge.
Born on June 15, 1932, in the Bronx, New York, Joseph was the eldest child of Sadie and Benjamin Adler. In 1945, his family relocated to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School, Los Angeles City College, and UCLA. He later earned a master’s degree in history from USC. Joseph married Esther on Christmas Day, 1955—a union that blossomed into a lifetime of love and partnership.
Joseph’s teaching career spanned decades and touched countless lives. He taught United States History and Biology at Sierra High School in Whittier, California for 10 years. He then spent 37 years at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California where he taught U.S. History and Folk Guitar. He also taught Folk Guitar for 15 years through the University of California Extension programs in Irvine and Berkeley. Joseph’s approach to teaching was uniquely engaging—he often brought his guitar and costumes to class, singing songs and wearing costumes from the historical periods he taught, making history come alive for his students.
He authored three books during his teaching at Diablo Valley College: Guitar for a Singing Planet (1976), America’s Heritage Through Song (1980), and History of the United States (1990). In his final years, Joseph authored three more books: Memoir of a Singing History Professor, A Nation Divided: Electing Abraham Lincoln, the First Anti-Slavery President, Erupts Into a Brutal Civil War Ending Slavery in America, and The First Americans—a testament to his enduring passion for education and storytelling.
Joseph is survived by his wife Esther, sons Lincoln and Franklin, Franklin’s children, and his brother Louis Adler, along with Louis’s children and grandchildren.
He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.
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I received this notice today from Joe’s wife Esther. I was so sad to read that another of our community had passed. I remember seeing him in the parking lot, in full costume and carrying his guitar. Even at the end of a long day, he was cheerful, excited about the day and his students. He also was pleased to share with his colleagues, his friends, the ways his students reacted to him and his classes. His students loved his classes.
Always inspiring, generous and supportive, Joseph Adler will be missed.
Nancy Zink
DVCRA Liaison
English Professor, DVC, retired