Joel P. Lugavere

Joel Lugavere, a former Los Angeles Times photographer and past president of the Press Photographers of Greater Los Angeles, has passed away. His friend and colleague, Ken Lubus, has written an obituary in his memory.

My obituary for Joel P. Lugavere, former Los Angeles Times Photographer and past president of the Press Photographers of Greater Los Angeles—My Best Friend

It was a friendship of more than 50 years…

I met Joel P. Lugavere while at Valley College in Van Nuys.

I was the editor of the college newspaper and he was my chief photographer. At the time, neither one of us knew we would remain lifelong friends and both find our careers in photojournalism.

Joel was Born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens until he was 14 and moved to the San Fernando Valley, attended Grant High School. He joined the U.S. Navy after graduation and served aboard the USS Canisteo stationed primarily in the Mediterranean during the Vietnam era.

After college Joel went on to work for the Valley Times, and when it folded went to work for the Valley News and Green Sheet, where I was working at the same time. I moved on to The Los Angeles Times and Joel soon followed.

While beginning work at the Valley Times, Joel recalled:

“It didn’t take long for me to get my feet wet as I was sent to the Century Plaza Hotel to cover President Lyndon Johnson.

Before I knew what happened I was right in the middle of a full blown anti war riot with thousands of people and hundreds of police.

At that point I knew this was the line of work I wanted to do.”

At The Los Angeles Times, Joel worked out of several of The Times suburban offices, and as much as he enjoyed working in the field he eventually headed up the photo department of the San Fernando Valley Edition of the Times.

During the 32 years with the paper, he received three Pulitzer Prizes for work on team projects.

It was 1980 when he began to spend terms as president of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles.

In March of 2023 we were both awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards by the association.

Photography and photojournalism wasn’t Joel’s only passion. Among others, he enjoyed riding trains and was a railroad buff, and being a model railroader building whole tabletop cities in N gauge.

Joel and his family were also active in The Boy Scouts of America until the family’s move to Las Vegas in 2012.

While we were both at The Times, Joel and I would sometimes meet in the field while covering major stories. I remember the time he had gotten a new company car and we were both covering a massive flood and cemetery wash out. He spotted me sloshing through the mud and offered to give me a ride. He never forgot to remind me of all the mud I had gotten in his new ride.

Joel and I both retired from The times on August 27, 2001 along with Boris Yaro and Rick Meyer.

Over the years we both married, had children, celebrated holidays together (he dressing as Santa for my children) and me attending Passover dinners at his home.

Joel is survived by his wife Janice, two sons, Jordan and Josh; their spouses and three grandchildren and a great grandson.