Obituaries
Science Journal -- Spring 1997 -- Vol 14, No. 1
Sidney Archer, '38 M.S., '40 Ph.D. Chem, died on August 22, 1996, at the age of 79. A research professor of chemistry and the former dean at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he was well known in the chemical industry for his development of medicinal drugs for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases.
Charles T. Lester, '41 Ph.D. Chem, died on February 15, 1996. A resident of Atlanta, Georgia, he served on the faculty of Emory University until his retirement in 1982.
John A. Meyer, '49 B.S., '50 M.S. CCh, died on January 28, 1997. He also earned a doctoral degree from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1958 and later served on the faculty at that institution until his retirement in 1984. He was a well-known lecturer on nuclear and radiation chemistry and was known for developing wood-polymer composites, a process now used in the manufacture of many products. He was a benefactors of the Fleming-Meyer Analytical Chemistry Award at Penn State (story on page 19). He is survived by his wife, Marion, who resides in Syracuse, New York.
Kathelyn S. Steimer, '73 M.S. Micrb, died on November 16, 1996. Steimer was vice president of research for Chiron Vaccines Corporation in Emeryville, California.
George C. Shoffstall Jr., '59 B.S. BiSci, '61 M.Ed, '71 D.Ed, died of leukemia on March 17, 1996 at the age of 66. He taught undergraduate biology in the Eberly College of Science from 1966 to 1980 and also was the college's assistant to the dean for continuing education. His reputation in scientific circles was as one of the nation's most avid advocates of science and science education.
Edward P. Rack, '54 B.S. Chem, died on February 2, 1996. He had been professor of chemistry at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Lillian Brostek Webster, '51 M.S. Chem, '55 Ph.D. Chem, died on December 24, 1996. Webster was retired science department chair at Ursuline Academy High School in Wilmington, Delaware. She is survived by her spouse, Owen Webster, '55 Ph.D. Chem.
Henry Lincoln Yeagley Sr., '25 B.S. Phys, '27 M.S. Phys, '34 Ph.D. Phys, died on December 26, 1996, at the age of 97. He was a faculty member in the Penn State Department of Physics from 1925 to 1958. He established the Penn State Department of Astronomy and the Penn State Riding Club and introduced the concepts of automobile seat belts and crumple zones in a 1932 article in the Penn State Engineer magazine. He was known worldwide for developing the first coherent theory of bird navigation. After retiring from Penn State as professor emeritus in 1958, he was appointed Joseph Priestly professor of natural philosophy at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. He was honored in 1982 with the Penn State Distinguished Alumnus award.