Home : Volume 31 : Spring 2005 :
Chemical engineering professor emeritus dies

In memoriam JANUARY Merlin Martin (BSEE '28) Russell Pavlat (BSEE '48) David Luttropp (BSEE '66) Hugh Higley (BSChE '40) Merten Heimstead (BSChE '36) Lowell Tooley (BSCEE '53) James Windsor (BSME '59) James Maloney (BSEE '43) Lee Boelter (BSEE '64) Gary Borman (MSME '57, PhDME '64) William Kappen (BSMetE '51) Bernard Malueg (BSEE '50) Robert Turner (BSChE '44) Djimitri Wiggert (BSEngr '56, MSEngr '58, PhDEE '66) Bert Head (BSChE '36) Francis Schiffer (BSME '41) FEBRUARY Ivan Kutuchieff (MSMetE '42) Stanley Gruen (BSChE '48, MSME '62) Arthur Hagg (BSME '39) Shawn Heckel (BSChE '82) Frederick Gunkel (BSMinE '81) Charles Kozel (BSChE '49) William DeHaven (BSME '48) MARCH John Malley (MSEE '71) David Jackisch (BSChE '59) Michael Krall (BSME '59) Joseph Brown (MSChE '53) Hans Jepsen (BSEE '40) Janis Kraetz (BSEE '85) Russell Johnson (BSEE '44) Robert Gerlach (BSME '49)

John Duffie (12K JPG)

Chemical Engineering Professor Emeritus John "Jack" Duffie, age 80, died in Madison April 23.

Duffie received bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a PhD in chemical engineering from UW-Madison. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, then worked briefly for DuPont before being called up during the Korean War as a scientific liaison officer with the Office of Naval Research in Chicago.

In 1954, Duffie joined the UW-Madison Department of Chemical Engineering and founded the college's Solar Energy Laboratory. Recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the solar energy field, he directed the lab until he retired in 1988. He enjoyed working with colleagues, authored several engineering books with them, and was working on a new edition when he died. For 10 years, Duffie also was an associate dean of the Graduate School and head of the University-Industry Research program. He was a past president of the International Solar Energy Society and was editor of the society's journal for eight years.

Duffie never missed an opportunity to see an opera and enjoyed photography, woodworking, sailing and researching family ancestry. He was a dedicated runner and for many years enjoyed the company of good friends on daily runs. He loved the woods, lakes and wildlife, and he and his wife, Pat, spent as much time as possible at the family cabin in Vilas County. The Duffies loved to travel, and worked and lived in Australia, England and briefly in Sweden.

In 2002, he and Pat moved to Oakwood Village West where they enjoyed life in the retirement community. The couple's children include Neil (professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering), Judy and Susan.

Memorials may be sent to the Oakwood Foundation, HospiceCare Inc. or the Madison Opera Foundation.

Content by perspective@engr.wisc.edu

Date last modified: Wednesday, 25-May-2005 10:30:05 CDT
Date created: 25-May-2005

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