Dennis W. Whitson, 74
Indiana, Penn.
November 1939 – May 3, 2014
Dennis W. Whitson of Indiana, Pa., 74, died May 3, 2014 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. His funeral was held May 10 in the Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, Indiana.
He was born in November 1939 in Onamia, Minn. to Gertrude and Walter Whitson. His early days were spent in Sauk Rapids and Brainerd, Minn. He graduated from Brainerd High School and went on to Brainerd Junior College where he majored in chemistry. After two years, he transferred North Dakota State University in Fargo. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics there and participated in football, as well as wrestling. It was in Fargo he met and married his wife of 52-plus years, Sandra (Sandy) Docktor. They moved to Minneapolis where he graduated from the University of Minnesota, with a master’s in physics. Three of their four children were born in Minneapolis. The family then moved to Pittsburgh, where he received his doctorate in physics at the University of Pittsburgh. His doctorate research thesis was “Nuclear Spin Relaxation of Protons in the Anti-ferromagnetic Materials.” In 1969, he came to Indiana, Penn. where he joined the physics department and taught for 34 years. He thoroughly enjoyed working with the students and put in many hours in the lab and teaching. He spent several summers doing research at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh and also at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. His sabbatical year was also spent at the Wright Patterson Air Base. He participated in a summer visiting professor program at NASA at the Houston, Texas Space Center doing research on the space shuttle and electrostatic effects on the tiles. At IUP, he was instrumental in the development of the electro-optics course, and also served as chairman of the physics department for several years. He was a member of the Sigma Xi Science Fraternity and also of the ATO Social Fraternity. Upon retirement, he was awarded the Professor Emeritus honor.
He loved football and soccer. The Pittsburgh Steelers very quickly replaced his Minnesota Vikings upon the move to Pennsylvania. Even in the lean years, he would say: “ This is a year for building the team!” He was among those who started the soccer program in the Indiana School District for both boys and girls, and served, at one time, as the soccer boosters’ president. The PTA at Horace Mann School saw him serve and work with their organization. He also helped push for Title IX implementation in the school district.
The couple loved to travel, and they took many trips throughout the world and this country. Many of these were river cruises as well as the big ship cruises. Tennis was his major participation sport, and he loved to read. He belonged to a book club and read mostly non-fiction and science fiction.
Survivors include his wife, Sandy; four children and families: Denise and Emir Gurer of Scotts Valley, Calif.; Carmen and Tony Blanco of Arlington, Va.; Shereen and David Lobdell of Las Vegas, NM; and Steven and Becky (Flack) Whitson of Strasburg, Pa.; and five grandchildren – Megan Gurer, Tobin and Steven Lobdell, and Elizabeth and Caroline Whitson; two brothers and wives: Donald and Kathy Whitson and Larry and Rosemary Whitson; and his mother – Gertrude (Cash) Whitson.
He was preceded in death by his father, Walter.
Memorial suggestions include the IUP Physics Department, Indiana, Pa. 15705; or the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 285 Twolick Drive, Indiana, Pa. 15701; or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Suite 1509, 1359 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10018; or the Indiana Free Library, 845 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, Pa. 15701.