Josep Oliva Llinas passed away, at home, with his wife by his side, on Monday evening, October 11, 2010, after a long and increasingly difficult struggle with Parkinson's disease. He was 78 years of age. Josep was born in Banyoles, Spain, on June 5, 1932, the elder son of Montserrat Llinas Celra and Llorens Oliva Vila who preceded him in death.

He is survived by his wife Geraldine Elaine Tryonoviech Oliva, to whom he was married for thirty-eight years. They met in New York City on December 14, 1969 and they married there at the United Nations Chapel on June 4, 1972.

He is also survived by his daughters, Michelle Lara Oliva and Danielle Karen Oliva Alvarez and her husband Joseph Joaquin Alvarez who was like a son to him. In addition, he is survived by his brother, Salvador Oliva Llinas and his wife, Angela Buxton and their daughters, Elisabeth and Victoria. Theresa Brady-Roche, Terence Roche and Roser Ferrer are very close friends.

Josep graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in Spain and he was a teacher working in Salesian Schools there. He went to England to study at Cambridge University for two years. Then he returned to Spain to teach English. From 1967-1969, Josep went to Neuquen, Argentina to serve as a missionary and he also served as a chaplain to the Argentinean army there. In 1969, he traveled by ship from Argentina to New York City, where he pursued his education and earned a Master's Degree from New York Theological Seminary, a Professional Diploma from St. John's University and a Doctoral Degree from Teacher's College, Columbia University. In the United States, he was employed by Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and later by the New Jersey State Department of Education, the Perth Amboy Board of Education and the Trenton Board of Education. His great love was in creating and being intensely involved with P.A.C.T.O. (Parents and Children Together Organized for Family Learning) a non-profit volunteer organization of which he was also the Founder and President. Many activities and learning opportunities were accomplished through P.A.C.T.O. which were specially designed to better the education and livelihoods of the Hispanic population in New Jersey. Josep's own family was often involved with him in P.A.C.T.O. events, as well.
Since Josep's retirement from the Trenton Board of Education in 2003, at which time he had completed fifty years as an educator, he was involved in several volunteer projects until his illness required him to stop. In the Lakeview Community in Allentown, New Jersey where he lived for twenty-eight years, and more recently for five years in the Four Season's Community of Upper Freehold, Josep was known to diligently pursue walking and exercising, and to maintain a positive attitude, in spite of having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease about eight years ago. Friends remember Josep as being ""Don Quijote De La Mancha"" because he dared to ""dream the impossible dream"". He will be fondly missed by many.

To support research for better treatment and ultimately a cure for this devastating disease, Josep also volunteered by participating in several studies throughout the years. His final contribution was to the brain donation program. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Parkinson's Foundation.
Visiting hours will be this Friday, October 15th from 6 pm to 10 pm in the Oliva home. Friends can call for more information at (609) 259-7177.