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In Memoriam
 John "Jay" P. Gleason, Jr John P. Gleason Jr. lost his battle with cancer on Monday, January 14, 2008. He was 66. Mr. Gleason was president of Portland Cement Association (PCA), Skokie, Ill., from 1986 to 2007.
Prior to his duties with PCA, he served for nine years as president and CEO of the Brick Institute of America, Reston, Va., where he was responsible for all programs in planning, research, marketing, administration, member services, and public affairs. From 1970 to 1977, Mr. Gleason served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. He managed the development, coordination, and marketing of all major domestic and international programs to the U.S. business community. In 1976, he received the Commerce Department’s Silver Medal Award for exceptional planning and management.
Mr. Gleason was a graduate of Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C., and a graduate of the Program for Management Development of Harvard Business School. He has served as chairman of the Council for Masonry Research, and the National Codes and Standards Council. He was on the Board and Executive Committee of the American Concrete Pavement Association, and chairman of the Board of Directors of Construction Technology Laboratories, an engineering consulting and research firm. Mr. Gleason was also a Trustee of the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Institute for Organization Management of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
He is survived by his wife Susan; children Sean, Megan (Jim) Riley, Michael, Amy, Jeff, Kevin, Colin; grandchildren Zachary, Shea, Kelly, Cecilia and Finnegan; brothers Brian (Susan) and Scott (Karen); Jay will be remembered fondly by many nieces and nephews who loved him for his fun loving spirit, humor and generosity.
In
lieu of flowers memorials may be made to University
of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation,
5841 South Maryland Avenue,
MC1140, Chicago, Ill. 60637.
Richard Ernest Tressler June 14, 1942 - September 8, 2007 Richard Ernest Tressler, 65, of Oak Hall, died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, surrounded by family at the Mount Nittany Medical Center. He died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Born on June 14, 1942, in Bellefonte, he was a son of Ernestine and the late Earl Tressler, of Bellefonte. He is survived by his wife, Janis Jones, and three daughters and their families, Laura Sweeny and her husband Robert, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and their children Owen and Francie; Kristin Reagle and her husband Daniel, of Media, and their daughter Megan; and Jennifer Hendrickson and her husband Michael, of State College, and their children Ada and Sally. He is also survived by stepson David Mochak and wife Natalie, and their son Devin; two brothers, Hubert of Green Bay, Wis., and Kermit of Bellefonte. He was preceded in death by his late wife, Sue Alexander Tressler and his brother Earl of Muncy. He was a 1959 graduate of Bellefonte Area High School. He earned his B.S. degree in Ceramic Technology from Penn State in 1963, his M.S. at MIT in 1964, and his Ph.D. in Ceramic Science at Penn State in 1967. He was a decorated veteran, serving as a Captain in the United States Air Force, then joined the Ceramics faculty at Penn State in 1972. He served as Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering for 10 years, was President of the American Ceramic Society, and Founding Director of the Center for Advanced Materials at Penn State. He also served on the technical advisory boards of Kyocera, Air Products, and Alcoa, as well as the Board of Directors of AVX Corporation. In recognition of his accomplishments he was named Academician of the World Academy of Ceramics, Honorary Member of the Societe Francaise de Metallurgie et de Materiaux, the International Prize of the Japan Fine Ceramics Association, and was named Distinguished Life Member of the American Ceramic Society, and received the Hosler Alumni Scholar Award of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He retired as Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering in 2001. He made a significant contribution to the field of Materials Science by being an outstanding mentor to his students. In addition to enjoying time on his farm with his family and particularly his grandchildren, he was an avid hunter and fly fisherman. He loved to garden, chop wood, and drive his tractor. His hobbies included restoring old homes and antique automobiles. He was a lover of music and played the flute and bass. He was a lifelong supporter of Penn State and dedicated himself to philanthropic efforts on behalf of the University. He will be remembered for his quick wit and sense of humor. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, a life member of the Penn State Alumni Association, and a member of the Obelisk Society of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State. The family encourages donations in his memory to The Richard E. Tressler Career Development Professorship in Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 121 Steidle Building, University Park, PA 16802.
Nicholas J. Norante Nicholas J. Norante of Butler, PA, passed away Monday, March 26, 2007, from complications resulting from asbestosis. He was 82.
Norante graduated from Rutgers University in 1949 with a BS degree in ceramic engineering, and joined Stupakoff Ceramic Company, Latrobe, PA until 1952. He returned to Rutgers, and in 1953 was awarded an MS degree in ceramic engineering. He then returned to Stupakoff (purchased by Carborundum Company) until 1972, when he joined Du-Co Ceramics Company. Upon his retirement from Du-Co in 2005, he was vice president in charge of marketing. He was a member of the American Ceramic Society for over 50 years, and was well liked by all who knew him.
Norante served in the U.S. Army in the European Theater from 1943-45.
Norante is
survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara, four children: Nicholas Norante Jr.
of Butler, PA, Christine (Robert) Weyant of Wexford,
PA, Frank (J. J.) Norante of Minneapolis, MN, and Virginia (Tod) Schmidt of Twinsburg, OH,
and three grandchildren. He is also
survived by two sisters: Genevieve Norante of Rahway,
NJ, and Louise (Mero) Nocenti of Franklin
Lakes, NJ, and one brother, John Norante of Rochester, NY. Richard M. Spriggs
Spriggs was professor emeritus of ceramic engineering at the NYS College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Prior to retiring in 1997, he was the first John F. McMahon Professor of Ceramic Engineering, the executive director of the NYS Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology, and director of Sponsored Research Programs at the College. He held BS, MS and PhD degrees in ceramics and ceramic engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Prior to joining the Alfred faculty in 1987, he served as senior staff officer and staff director of the National Research Council at the National Academy of Sciences, and as professor and later as vice president for administration at Lehigh University. He had earlier industrial experience with Avco and Ferro corporations. He also served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy after his graduation from Penn State.
A Fellow, Past President, and Distinguished Life Member of the American Ceramic Society, he received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to ceramic science, technology and education. He most recently served as a board member of the Ceramics Corridor Innovation Centers (Alfred Technology Resources Inc.) and Sugar Hill Development Corp. Spriggs was widely known over many years as an outstanding ambassador for the American Ceramic Society. He was well-known for his kind and friendly demeanor.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Blaney) Spriggs and is survived by his present wife, Brenda (Ferrier) Spriggs, three children: Carolyn (Spriggs) Muchna (Mark) of Prescott, Ariz., Rick Spriggs (Jacki) of Naperville, Ill., and Alan Spriggs of Golden, Colo.; and three step-children: Kristine (Milkeris) Smith (Robbie) of Genesee, Pa., Lori Milkeris of Milton, Fla., and Joshua Milkeris (Amber) of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
In addition he is survived by seven grandchildren: Jessica (Muchna) Madson (James), Amy, Matthew and Mollie Muchna, Mackenzie, Kelsey and Conor Spriggs, and five step-grandchildren: Amber, Tyler, Miri and Bryce Milkeris and Nolen Smith. Memorial services will be held at the Union University Church in Alfred on Monday, August 13 at 11:00 a.m.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, three sons, two daughters and 14 grandchildren. Pannucci was active in the Trenton Section of ACerS, where he served as an officer, and the Ceramic Association of New Jersey.
Chuck was born at Fredericktown, Pa., in 1942, and was the son of Joseph Greskovich (a coal miner) and Katherine Righetti. He was proud of his Slovak-Italian heritage. He attended The Pennsylvania State University on a basketball and golf scholarship and entered the ceramic technology department later that year on a scholarship. He completed his Ph.D. in 1968.
Chuck was an exceptional man in all facets of his life. His energy and enthusiasm affected those around him. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather as well as genuine friend to many over the course of his life. He was an enthusiastic golf, tennis and basketball player, in addition to being a Bocce and Cinch player extraordinaire. Above all extracurricular activities, fly fishing was his passion.
Chuck was world renowned in his field of ceramic technology. In 1968, he was awarded an NSF Post-doctoral Fellowship in Germany, and in 1969, became a staff ceramist in the Ceramics Lab of GE’s Corporate R&D Center at Schenectady, N.Y. His research and technological interests have encompassed preparation of optically transparent, polycrystalline ceramics, useful as scintillators in advanced medical X-ray detectors, arc tube envelopes for high intensity discharge lamps, and as possible ceramic lasers and optical windows.
He worked on refractory ceramic molds. He is co-inventor of the first efficient ceramic scintillator, now used in nearly all computed tomography (CT) body scanners sold by GE since 1988. He developed the “Gas Pressure Sintering Process” used by many materials companies. In 1997 and 1998 the College of Earth & Mineral Science at Penn State recognized him as “Centennial Fellow” for distinguished accomplishments that bring honor to the College and University, and also with the Charles L. Hoslar Alumni Scholar Medal for outstanding contributions to science through research.
In 2000, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer, and was cited for technical innovations in ceramics and their manufacturing processes. In 1991 he was awarded a Coolidge Fellowship, the GE R&D Center’s highest honor. Chuck published more than 50 scientific papers, and was awarded 51 U.S. patents.
An ACerS Fellow (1980), he was affiliated with the Basic Science Division. In 1983, he was the American recipient of the Richard M. Fulrath Award, presented by ACerS; this took him to Japan to lecture around the country.
Chuck was the much loved husband of Maria Greskovich for more than 40 years and father to Chad Greskovich and Melissa Greskovich of Niskayuna, and Ann Zenner of Fairfield, Conn. He has two grandchildren, Helen and Kilian Zenner. They, along with their father John, will miss him dearly. He also is survived by his brother and sister in-law, Gene and Jan Greskovich of State College, and his uncles John Greskovich and his wife Edith of Brownsville, and Paul Greskovich of N.J.
Memorial contributions for an endowed scholarship in his memory may be made out to Penn State University, College of Earth & Mineral Sciences, attn: Charles D. Greskovich Scholarship. Send to: College of Earth & Mineral Sciences, Development Dept., 105 Deike Bldg., University Park, PA 16802. Chuck began his career in ceramics on a scholarship and without it he never would have had the opportunity to leave his great impact on the field of ceramics.
He graduated from Alfred University with a B.S. in ceramic engineering in 1962, and received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1966. He was employed for 30 years at Babcock & Wilcox at the research division. Bremser is survived by his wife, Shirley, two sons, four grandchildren and two sisters. An emeritus member of ACerS, he was affiliated with the Engineering Ceramics Division. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1947, she began taking ceramics classes from a teacher across the street. Her husband, Joseph, thought firing her ceramic and porcelain pieces was too expensive, so he built her a kiln.
One kiln led to another, and she founded Paragon Industries in 1948, eventually producing one of the first electric kilns in America. Over the years, Paragon became the largest hobby kiln manufacturer in the world.
Darby became known as a highly principled CEO constantly fighting the "glass ceiling." She fought the airlines when women were not allowed in business class; challenged the banking industry when they required a male cosigner on notes; fought for women business owners and the expansion of equal rights. She is survived by two sons, Michael of Pacific Palisades, Calif., and Joseph of Dallas. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A graduate of Georgia Military Academy and Georgia Institute of Technology, he served as president of the ACerS Student Branch during his senior year. Waldhauer was a ceramic engineer with the Naval Ordinance Plant in Macon, Ga., and retired as a mechanical engineer from Robins Air Force Base.
He received numerous awards for his pottery, jewelry and sculptures.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He was born at Bergama, Turkey, April 15, 1941. In 1961, he immigrated to the United States to study at Alfred University where he earned MA and PhD degrees in ceramic engineering, and met his future wife, Mary Johnson.
After graduation, he returned to Turkey and served in the Turkish military as an officer and translator for NATO. Sekercioglu returned to the U.S. in 1974, and earned his citizenship in 1985. He pursued an R&D career in ceramic engineering and was awarded several patents for his work.
Survivors include his wife, Mary, two sons, a brother and two sisters.
An emeritus member of ACerS, he was affiliated with the Basic Science Division and ACerS’ National Institute of Ceramic Engineers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He attended Capital University for two years and then The Ohio State University where he earned a degree in civil engineering in 1960. Schacht married Sue Ellen Whittington, and they moved to Pittsburgh where he furthered his education at Carnegie Mellon University, earning his master’s and completing his PhD in civil engineering in 1972.
He had worked with a private consulting firm and U.S. Steel Corp. for about a decade when his fascination with refractories led him to establish Schacht Consulting Inc. Schacht became known throughout the steel industry for his expertise in the design of refractory linings, and his successes led him to travel all over the world to consult for the steel industry.
He held two patents involving refractories and published two books, “Refractory Linings: Thermomechanical Design and Applications” and “Refractories Handbook”. Schacht was the author or coauthor of numerous papers on refractory structures and refractory-lined industrial vessels, and lectured worldwide.
He is survived by a daughter, a son, two grandchildren, a brother and two sisters. Schacht was a senior member of the ACerS Refractory Ceramics Division. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After serving in the U.S. Army’s antiballistic missile technology program, Constantine earned a bachelor’s degree in 1965 from Alfred University, where he also did graduate work. Subsequently, he was a researcher at Engelhard Corp., where he worked on ceramic capacitors and silicon chip production, and was granted several patents for capacitor powders and inks.
He is survived by two stepchildren, four brothers, and his former wives, Audrey (Henning) and Donna (Wyatt).
Constantine was a member of the ACerS Electronics Division. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Franz earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Würzburg, Germany in 1962. He conducted research on the surface chemistry of glass at Max-Planck Institute until 1967, when he moved to the United States and continued his research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1969, Franz joined PPG Industries Inc., where he was instrumental in developing a number of commercially successful technologies. He held 57 patents and was the author or coauthor of numerous scientific papers on the science of glass surfaces. Franz was elected to PPG’s prestigious collegium in 1988, and retired from the company in 1997. He is survived by his wife, Toni, three children and six grandchildren.
An emeritus member of ACerS, he was affiliated with the Glass & Optical Materials Division. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edwin Ruh, 82, president of Ruh International Inc., Pittsburgh, died Jan. 28, 2007. He was a graduate of Rutgers University, holding BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in ceramics. At the beginning of his career, he planned the size and layout (and later oversaw the construction) of Harbison-Walker Refractories Co.’s Garber Research Center, built in 1957; in 1967, he planned the addition.
Ruh left his position as director of advanced technology at H-W to become vice president of research at Vesuvius Crucible Co. in 1974. He was an adjunct professor to Carnegie-Mellon University during 1976–84 and a research professor II at Rutgers during 1984–95. In 1982, he formed Ruh International.
Ruh is survived by his wife, Bette, a son, a daughter and a brother.
A dedicated member of the Society, he served as president of ACerS (1985–86), trustee and chair of the Refractory Ceramics Division, and chair of the Pittsburgh Section. He also held membership in the Ceramic Educational Council and the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers. Ruh was made an ACerS Fellow in 1960 and a Distinguished Life Member in 1994. In 1963, he received the Schwartzwalder-PACE Award, and in 1999, the Arthur Frederick Greaves-Walker Award. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rubin held a BS in geochemistry from San Fernando Valley State College. In 1956, he took his first step into a lifelong career in advanced ceramics at Atomics International, where he pioneered new ceramic production techniques. He then worked at Gladding, McBean & Co. before cofounding Ceradyne Inc. with Joel Moskowitz in 1967.
Rubin, who became vice president/technical director of Kyocera International Inc. in 1978, has continued to work within the ceramics community at companies such as Interamics, Microelectronic Packaging Inc., Raychem and Polese Co. He participated in the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, authored many scientific papers, and held 17 patents.
Rubin leaves behind his wife, Erica, one sister, three sons and a grandson.
An emetitus member of ACerS, he was affiliated with the Refractory Ceramics Division.
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