Sperati, Carleton A. 1918-2009
SPERATI, JOHNSON, MORRIS, KORTE, EASTBURN
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/5/2012 at 10:44:13
Carleton A. Sperati, age 91, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, died Saturday, October 3, 2009 at his home in Parkersburg.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at First Lutheran Church in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The public is invited to a graveside committal service at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, October 9, 2009 at Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah, Iowa.
Carleton A. Sperati was born September 1, 1918 in Fergus Falls MN, the son of Carsten E. and Martha Johnson Sperati. Dr. Sperati was graduated from Luther College, Decorah Iowa in 1938.
He was the grandson of legendary Luther College Band Director Carlo A. Sperati, played in the Luther Band and other musical organizations throughout his years at Luther including participating in the 1936 tour to Norway. Dr. Sperati earned his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Illinois in 1941.
On June 1, 1941, he married Eloise Morris at First Lutheran Church in Decorah, Iowa. They were married for 61 years before her death in 2003. Three children were born to this union, C. Robert, William E., and Solveig.
In June of 1941 Dr. Sperati began a 38-year career with the DuPont Company in Arlington, New Jersey, transferred to Wilmington, Delaware in 1950 and to Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1972. He held multiple patents and was instrumental in the research and development of polytetrafluorethylene (Teflon®). He retired from DuPont in 1978 as a Research Fellow to become the Stocker Visiting Distinguished Professor at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Following his time in Athens, he continued to be active in Chemistry through participation in standards organizations (ASTM, ISO) and consulting. In January, 1988 he taught a January Term course in Chemistry at Luther and had the privilege of staying at Sperati House, the original Decorah home of his grandparents. He was an active outdoorsman in canoeing, camping and skiing, but the love of his life was music. He began playing flute at the age of 10 and continued playing and conducting in bands, theatre and other musical organizations until age 89. He received the Carlo A. Sperati Award in 1978 during the centennial celebration of the Luther College Band and the Distinguished Service Award in 1993.
He was a member of First Lutheran Church, Parkersburg.
Dr. Sperati was preceded in death by his parents (Carsten in 1913 and Marthain 1945); his wife, Eloise; one sister and one brother.
He is survived by his children, C. Robert (’66) and Sondra Sperati of Landenburg, PA, William E. and Elizabeth Sperati, Wilmington, DE, and Solveig Sperati Korte, (’74), Vermillion, SD. Seven grandchildren, Christine (’88) (Don) Eastburn, John Sperati, Kendra Korte (’03), Kirsten Korte, Jacob Sperati, Joshua (Peggy) Sperati, Rebecca Sperati and 3 great-grandchildren also survive.
Memorials may be sent to the Luther College Sperati Scholarship Fund, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Decorah Lutheran Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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