Harry J. Svec (1918-2006)

SVEC, PEKAREK, BRUNO, STRIPLING, KLUBAL, SMITH, BURDICK, CHAPMAN, HALE

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 12/3/2006 at 08:50:38

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Harry J. Svec
June 24, 1918-Nov. 28, 2006
Harry J. Svec, 88, of Ames, died of heart failure Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Green Hills Care Center in Ames. A funeral mass will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church. A buffet reception and remembrance celebration will be at 5:30 p.m. in St. Cecilia's social hall, with a program at 7 p.m.

Harry J. Svec was born June 24, 1918, to Ralph and Lilian (Pekarek) Svec in Cleveland. He was raised in a Czech-American community as a toddler, but at age 5, the family moved from this ethnic enclave to become integrated into American society. He was educated in the Garfield Heights, Ohio, public schools where teachers developed his natural academic abilities. He attended John Carroll University, Cleveland, working as a tool and die-maker's apprentice to finance his education. He graduated magna cum laude in pre-medicine in 1941. His father's death changed his medical school plans; he opted for biochemistry, aiming for medical research. He began graduate work in 1941 at Iowa State College under Ellis Fulmer and Leland Underkofler. There, he met Edna Bruno at a graduate student midweek dance; they married in October 1943 in her hometown of Williamsport, Pa.

During World War II, his academics were interrupted by his assignment to Frank Spedding's group then working on uranium refinement for the Manhattan Project. This changed his research interests. In 1946, he was appointed to the Ames Laboratory/Institute for Atomic Research. During his graduate work under Spedding, he built the first mass spectrometers used for analytical work at ISU.

He received a Ph.D. in 1950, was appointed to the Iowa State faculty and rose steadily through academic ranks. In his dual role as a member of the faculty and an Ames Laboratory researcher he balanced teaching, publishing and research, gaining an international reputation for the use of mass spectrometry to settle questions in physical, inorganic and analytical chemistry. He was named a distinguished professor in 1978 and professor emeritus on retirement in 1983.

He was a member of numerous societies and was a fellow of The Chemical Society (London). He was a charter member and past president (1974-76) of the American Society of Mass Spectrometry and founding editor of the International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Physics. In 1984, he received the American Chemical Society's Zimmerman Award for Environmental Science for his work in developing the now widely used resin method for removing organic pollutants in water.

His June 1983 retirement marked 42 years of association with ISU. After retiring, he finished writing a history of the chemistry department at ISU that documented events, developments and people through the World War II years. It was published by the chemistry department this year.

He and his wife, Edna, raised nine children - five sons and four daughters. He took a strong teaching role in their upbringing, passing along his skills and interests. In addition to his interest in the arts and extensive knowledge of the natural world, he was a talented mechanic, builder and inventor and these attributes and interests show abundantly in the talents of their offspring.

He was a member of St. Cecilia parish. When his children were younger, he was a Boy Scout den leader and pack master and taught seventh- and eighth-grade science at St. Cecilia School as a volunteer. He served as house manager for ISU's performing arts series when it was in the Armory. He enjoyed creating beautiful and useful things in his woodshop, loved classical music, gardened to relax, was a voracious reader and sang in the St. Cecilia's and Songbirds choirs. He relished being at the family's summerhouse near Ludington, Mich., which he built with the aid of family and friends. He took enormous pride in the progress and successes of his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Edna Bruno Svec, and his nine children and their families. They are, of Ames, Ben (Amie) Svec, Kathy (Dorian Stripling) Svec; of Des Moines, Peter (Linda) Svec, Jan (Barbara Klubal) Svec, Dan (Joy) Svec; and Mary Svec of San Diego, Tom Svec of Lockhaven, Pa., Jeanne (Bruce Smith) Svec of Williamsburg, Pa., and Lillian (Wayne Burdick) Svec of Belmont, Calif. He also is survived by his nephew, Lyn Hale (Debbie Chapman) of Fairview Park, Ohio; 18 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and only sibling, Marie Hale.

Visitation will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at Stevens Memorial Chapel.

Memorials may be directed to the ISU Chemistry Department Building Fund or Ames Historical Society.

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