McGOVERN, Dr. Terrence P. 1931-1990

MCGOVERN, HENRY

Posted By: Michael Kearney (email)
Date: 10/5/2002 at 10:36:01

The Clinton Herald; Monday January 22, 1990; page 12 Word has been received of the death of Dr. Terrence P. McGovern, 59, of Bowie, Md., who died Saturday in his home following an extended illness. Dr. McGovern had recently retired as a research chemist with the Insect Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Beltsville, Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. After receiving his Ph.D. degree from the University of Maryland, Dr. McGovern began his career at the Department of Agriculture in 1962. He synthesized and developed numerous repellents, attractions and insect growth regulators for use in controlling insects. Some of his more important contributions focused on trimedlure, an attractant that is currently used to monitor Mediterranean fruit fly infestations. He also discovered attractants for many other insects, including the Malaysian fruit fly, Japanese beetle, coconut rhinoceros beetle, rose chafer beetle, northern Corn rootwork and yellow jackets. In response to the needs of the Department of Defense, he developed repellents for human protection against mosquitoes and other biting insects, as well as repellents for household insect pests. Dr. McGovern published more than 110 scientific papers and held 27 patents. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, American Association for Advancement of Science, Entomological Society of America, Sigma Xi and the American Mosquito Control Association. In 1988, he received the USDA Distinguished Service Award. Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo of Bowie; two sons, Sean T. of Clinton, Md., and Kevin J. of Bowie; a daughter Kylah McGovern of Bowie; his mother, Marie McGovern of Clinton, Iowa; a brother, J. Thomas McGovern of Clinton, Iowa; and two sisters, Margaret Ann Henry of Clinton, Iowa, and Mary Therese of Boone, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his father, William Farrell McGovern.