The Museum of Anthropological Archaeology community mourns the passing of Joseph “Wes” Wardle, anthropological archaeology PhD candidate, colleague, and friend, who died unexpectedly in Greece in March 2026.
Wes was preparing to defend his dissertation this semester (Winter 2026). Loved ones describe him as “an incredible man taken too soon at the age of 38, doing what he loved: traveling. When Joe wasn’t stateside or working on his dissertation digging in Mexico, he was living out his biggest passion: travel. As a lover of history, art, and architecture he made journeys all over the world in his down time between school. He was intellectual in every sense and always pushed the envelope when it came to researching and learning as much as he could. A walking history book! Joe was the type of person who enjoyed reading and was always absorbing and learning. With whatever he was doing, he tried to see the beauty and the meaning of it.”
Wes' presence, kindness, and contributions shaped the UMMAA community in lasting ways, and we carry his memory with us. He will be deeply missed.
