Joel James Lake

Joel James Lake, beloved husband, father, grandfather and Citadel man, passed away peacefully on January 21, 2022, in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Born April 15, 1941, in Elgin, Illinois, Joel attended Onarga Military Academy and then enrolled at The Citadel. While he was a cadet at The Military College of South Carolina, Joel met Anne Burges, who with her parents and sisters welcomed the Illinois Yankee into their Charleston family. Joel and Anne married in 1964 at St. John's Lutheran Church, where they worshipped faithfully for more than fifty years.

Upon graduation from The Citadel, Joel joined the United States Army and was stationed in Germany, giving the young couple the opportunity to see the sights of Europe. After his active duty ended, Joel served in the U.S. Army Reserves. He and Anne lived briefly in Union, South Carolina, before returning to Charleston, where their sons, Jim and Michael, were born. Joel served his alma mater as budget director and internal auditor. He also was treasurer and controller of The Citadel Alumni Association, which named him its Man of the Year in 1979. In 1980, he became the first cadet graduate to earn his MBA at The Citadel. He later joined the business affairs office at Anne's alma mater, the College of Charleston, where he worked until his retirement in 2005. He became an avid supporter of Cougar athletic teams.

Joel loved spending time with his family, arranging outings and riding the waves with his grandchildren on annual beach trips to Kiawah Island. Joel and Anne lived for many years on James Island and later in The Crescent, until they moved to Franke at Seaside in 2019.

Since an initial cancer diagnosis 15 years ago, Joel received skilled and compassionate care from physicians and nurses at the Medical University of South Carolina, Franke at Seaside and Lutheran Hospice.

Joel is survived by Anne; their two sons, Jim (Diane) and Michael (Susan); grandchildren, Thomas, Madison, Robert and Patrick; brothers, Bob (Mary Beth) and Don (Judi) and sister-in-law, Judy Burges. He was predeceased by his parents, Jim and Alma; parents-in-law, Julius and Margaret Burges and sister-in-law, Gene Burges.

A celebration of Joel's life will take place Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 5 Clifford St., Charleston, led by the family's long-time pastor, David Butler. Safety protocols require that face masks be worn and social distancing observed. Burial will follow in the churchyard.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts in Joel's memory be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, 5 Clifford Street, Charleston; The Citadel Foundation, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston; or The College of Charleston Foundation, 66 George Street, Charleston.