Tront, Joseph Gilbert
Joseph “Joe” Gilbert Tront, 75, of Blacksburg, Virginia, passed away at home on August 10, 2026. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, teacher, mentor, and friend, Joe approached life with boundless energy, humor, and enthusiasm.
Joe was born on October 20, 1950, in Buffalo, New York, to the late Joseph and Stella Cichocki Tront. He attended the University of Dayton and SUNY Buffalo where he studied Electrical Engineering. In 1974, he married his wife, Beth, beginning a partnership that would span more than five decades. Together, they raised two daughters, Jackie and Katie.
Joe spent an extraordinary 47 years as a professor in the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. A pioneer in computer engineering, he was also dedicated teacher and mentor who influenced generations of students. Joe served for a number of years as Assistant Dean for Computing and was active in advancing the role of computing in engineering education around the world.
Joe was a passionate supporter of Hokie athletics and served as Virginia Tech’s Faculty Athletics Representative to the ACC and NCAA, supporting Tech’s student-athletes. Whether through engineering, athletics, or university service, Joe was deeply invested in the Virginia Tech community. Teaching was simply part of who Joe was and he never missed an opportunity to explain something or turn an ordinary moment into a lesson.
Joe was a foodie, a world traveler, an enthusiastic volleyball player, a football official, a joker and legendary prankster, and the kind of person who would always help when someone needed him. He possessed an amazing repertoire of jokes and an equally impressive collection of stories – many involving adventures that probably should not have turned out as well as they did. Somehow, whatever the occasion, there always seemed to be fireworks.
Joe is survived by his wife, Beth; his daughters, Jackie and Katie; his son-in-law, Patrick; his grandchildren, Annabelle, Samantha, and Henry; his sisters, Judy and Lynda; his sister-in-law, Mary; his brothers-in-law, Bob, Dan, and Paul; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and members of his extended family.
The family will hold a celebration of Joe’s life on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Blacksburg, Virginia. Additional details will follow.
The celebration of Joe’s life will be held at the University Club of Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium, Suite 4 South, located at 185 Beamer Way, Blacksburg, Virginia.
This informal, open-house-style gathering will welcome friends, family, colleagues, and all those whose lives were touched by Joe. Please stop by anytime during the afternoon to share a drink, a story, and time together as we remember and celebrate him.
Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served, with a brief toast in Joe’s memory during the afternoon, around 3pm.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
2:00–5:00 p.m.
University Club of Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium
Suite 4 South
185 Beamer Way
Blacksburg, VA 24061
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial contributions to The New River Land Trust in Joe’s honor to support a lasting tribute along the New River, as well as river cleanup and stewardship efforts in the area he loved so deeply. www.newriverlandtrust.org
Parking is available in Lots 1, 2, 4, and 5. Guests can enter through the South Tower Entrance and take the elevator to the 4th floor.
For those traveling from out of town, a block of rooms is being held at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Blacksburg.
