The Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society

In Memorial

Joel Readio, (69)

California Licensed Land Surveyor: L 4319

California Registered Engineer (Civil) C 37076,

Born; ? 1930 Died; June 3, 1999

Skier, Educator, Collector, Surveyor & Engineer.

Joel Readio, of Carmel Valley passed away on June 3, 1999. Joel had been a member of CLSA since 1973, and a Life Member since 1992. He was an active member and [a past] officer of the Monterey Bay Chapter [of the California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA)].

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology and later did graduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University.

His leisure activities included fishing, hiking and skiing. He was a certified instructor for the National Ski Patrol and a dedicated member of the Ski Patrol in the Sierra Nevada for many years. He was also involved in avalanche control.

Joel will be most remembered as the chairman of the Engineering Department at Monterey Peninsula College. From the early '60s, for two decades, he taught surveying and engineering courses. His efforts gave many of us our first real exposure to their profession of land surveying. Joel was a mentor to many students and professionals alike.

To this end, Joel often provided his services as an educator conducting workshops seminars and Land Surveying Courses including one at the Fourth Annual CLSA Convention held February 26-28, 1970 at the Holiday Inn in Santa Cruz. There Mr. Readio while surveying instructor of Monterey Peninsula College and two of his students held a very interesting panel discussion entitled "The Student and the Land Surveyor".

Although the weather did not cooperate, Joel was to provide a live demonstration of the determination of a two second solar azimuth at the monument day at the Monterey Bay Workshop held June19, 1975. This first field workshop was sponsored by the Monterey Bay Chapter of CLSA.

In 1983 Mr. Readio participated in a 15-week Land Surveying class being taught at California State University, Fresno teaching the "Spanish Land Grants" component.

[Joel passed his Land Surveyor in Training (LSIT) exam in April of 1975 and then right away passing his Professional Land Surveyor's license exam in November of 1975.]

In addition to his professional duties at Monterey Peninsula College, Joel served as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President and President (83) of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association.
<br< After his retirement from teaching, he entered private practice as president of Pacific Land Services, Inc., [in Carmel Valley, CA Inc. July 22, 1982] a firm which he founded specializing in land surveying and geotechnical engineering. [Joel receive his license as a California Land Surveyor on November ?, 1975 and his Professional Engineer License (Civil) on [post 82]]

Joel received his life membership in the California Land Surveyors Association pursuant to Resolution 92-03: Life Membership to Joel Readio, PLS 4319 for fulfilling the requirements for Life Membership and striving for the highest professional standards of the Land Surveying Profession. Full Resolution 92-03.

A memorial service was held July 10, 1999 in Carmel Valley.

[On July 17, 2000 a letter was sent to the MDSHS by the law firm of Heisinger, Buck & Morris on behalf of the estate of Mr. Joel Readio stating that upon his death Mr. Readio requested they (MDSHS) receive miscellaneous surveying equipment that he received from the Leffingwell family. This came as quite a surprise as Mr. Readio is not known to ever be a member of the Society. Never the less the proper paperwork was completed and the ownership of the equipment was transferred to MDSHS. Local surveyor Mr. Steve Wilson handled the final physical transfer.]

The donated instruments were:

Eugene Dietzgen & Co. 30" Mountain Transit S/N 7364 w/tripod (Ca. 1917) (ID I-131).
Eugene Dietzgen & Co. Dumpy Level S/N 38581 (Ca. 1912) (ID L-106).
Kueffel & Esser Co. (K&E) Wye Level S/N 45318 (Ca. 1923) (ID L-105).

Interesting is that Mr. Readio requested that MDSHS receive this equipment that he received from the Leffingwell family with no additional information on how he received it or who the Leffingwell family was. Additional research is in order. If anyone knows any information about the Leffingwell family, MDSHS would very much like to know.

Portions of this memorial were originally published in the fall 1999 edition of The California Surveyor. No. 124 (Submitted by Steve C. Wilson). All rights reserved, The California Land Surveyors Association. Portions written by [Michael J. Foley, PLS.] © 2013, The Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society.

MDSHS - Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society
is a California non-profit corporation organized under
IRS 501©3 (Federal #8916806802, CA 1835904).
Page last edited; October 1, 2013
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