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Sonja Israel and Ken Carter in Anaheim

At the POLY Board meeting in Anaheim, CA, March 27, 2004, a memorial book was given to Sonja Israel by Chair Ken Carter. The book contained remembrances written by Stan's friends and fellow POLY members.

November 3, 2003

Dear Members of the Polymer Chemistry Community:

Today we mourn the sudden, unexpected loss of our dear friend and colleague, Stanley C. Israel. Stan died in his home early Sunday morning from a heart attack. He was 61.

Stan, the Dean of the College of Science at Texas State University - San Marcos, spent a career dedicated to education, research and the advancement of science. He received a bachelor's of science degree from Parsons College/University of Iowa in 1965 and then went on to obtain his doctorate from the Lowell Technological Institute in 1970. He started his professional career at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 1968 as a lecturer, eventually joining the faculty as an assistant professor in 1972. He spent the next 25 years with the Department of Chemistry at the university, eventually becoming department head (1992-97). Stanley then accepted the position of Dean of the College of Science at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) in San Marcos, while retaining his status as Professor Emeritus at Lowell.

Stan has been a constant leader within the Polymer Chemistry community and an active participant within the American Chemical Society. Stan's tireless service to the Division of Polymer Chemistry spans nearly 30 years. He began in 1974 as Membership Committee Co-Chair and as a member of the Education Committee. He has since held many of the most important positions within POLY. Stan was POLY Treasurer 1979-1984, Vice Chair 1987, Chair Elect 1988, Chair 1989, and Councilor 1990-2001. He was a founding member of the POLYED Education Committee and since 2000 has served as Editor of Polymer Preprints. As Preprints Editor he played a key role in the transition from paper to CD. Since 2001, Stan had increased his activities with the governance of the American Chemical Society, having been elected to the ACS Board of Directors where he held the position of Chair of several committees (Grants & Awards, Taskforce on Minorities in Academia, and Taskforce on Continuing Chemical Education).

Stan is survived by his wife, Sonja, and their son, Aaron. As many of you may know, Sonja was extremely supportive of Stan's efforts with the Division and had helped Stan back in the 1980s in creating a sound accounting system for POLY. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the Israel family during this difficult time.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2003, at 1:45 p.m. at Gutterman's Funeral Home, 175 Long Beach Road, Rockville Center, NY (516-764-9400). The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Stanley C. Israel Memorial Fund in care of the Texas State University Development Foundation, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666. We anticipate that a memorial service will also be held later at Texas State University, although arrangements for this service are pending.

Stan had a clear vision and great enthusiasm for the Division of Polymer Chemistry, for the ACS, and for life. We have lost a tireless and devoted POLY, ACS executive and a great friend.

Sincerely,

The Executive Committee
ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry

From Pat Cassidy, November 6, 2003

A memorial service for Dr. Stanley C. Israel will be on the campus of Texas State University at the University Performing Arts Center at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 13, 2003.

Parking near UPAC is very limited. Accommodations have been made for faculty and staff to ride the Campus Loop shuttle route to and from the service. Campus Loop buses can be boarded in front of Commons, on Bobcat Trail, or at the LBJ Student Center.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Stanley C. Israel Memorial Fund in care of the Texas State University Development Foundation, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666.

From Ken Wynne, Chair, November 2, 2003.

Early this morning I received terrible news. Stan Israel died early this morning (Sunday morning 2 Nov). I have sent out an earlier notice to the ExCom, but Stanley had many friends at many levels and I felt I ought to send a message to our poly list.

Stanley was POLY Treasurer 1979-1984, Vice Chair 1987, Chair Elect, 1988, Chair 1989, and Councilor 1990-2000. As Preprints Co-Chair he played a key role in the transition from paper to CD. Stanley had a clear vision and great enthusiasm for the Polymer Chemistry Division, for the ACS, and for life. We have lost a great friend, a tireless and devoted POLY and ACS executive.

Please note: Sonja Israel has requestied that the family would prefer not to receive flowers. Donations to the Stanley C. Israel Memorial Fund at Texas State University are preferred.

From Charles Carraher, November 3, 2003

Words do not reflect the true value of Stan to the polymer community and greater society. Each of us have seen these contributions a little differently with the sum more truly reflective of his life as a scientist and human being. His research is often overlooked because of his political activities, but it was significant. Along with Eli, Joe and myself, he was one of the founders of PolyEd. Even after the birthing process, he remained active protecting "his offspring" and helping guide in its growth. He headed the effort to have a full page polymer activities in national newspapers years ago as part of the Chemistry Week efforts. Etc. More recently, he invested effort in IPEC allowing us to contribute to the overall literacy of the American society. Recently, he was also active in drawing the chemistry community to a greater awareness and activity in creating an even playing field for minorities and women. Thus, his political ventures were aimed at activities that helped the polymer community, but also the greater community within which each of us abide.

We will miss Stan. I will miss him as a good friend and fellow sojourner in the effort to leave our community in a better shape than when we arrived.

From Reddy Venumbaka, November 3, 2003

It was sad and shocking news. Stan was a good friend, a hard working scientist and a leader. I came to know Dr. Israel quite well after he joined our university as Dean of the College of Science in 1997. As the Director of the Institute for Environmental and Industrial Science (IEIS) and the Associate Editor of Polymer Prints, I had the opportunity to work with him closely and I found that he was truly exceptional. We discussed some ideas about Polymer Preprints on Friday, October 31st before he went home, and now he is no more.

The next issue of Polymer Preprints (Spring 2004) is currently being processed for publication. Please send me your thoughts and ideas that will enable us to incorporate memories of Stan into this issue.

From James Shoffner, ACS Board of Directors, November 2, 2003

Stan Israel died early this morning at his home in Austin, Texas of a massive coronary. Stan was a Director-at-Large, fellow board member and very good friend. He was always in the forefront of progressive causes, afriend of both divisions and local sections and any measures that would move the Society forward. I Know I will miss him and all of the support that he gave to minority issues, gender issues and human rights issues.

From Val Metanomski, November 3, 2003

My first reaction has been a shock. Stan was a personal friend of mine and we had often talked about many of his ideas and projects for the ACS and the Polymer Chemistry Division, in particular, which extended far into the future. That happened at the most recent IUPAC meeting in Ottawa and the ACS National Meeting in New York as well.

It should be our goal to carry on some of this work.

My second reaction is a wish to commemorate his countless contributions, especially to POLY. Obviously, there will be memorial services and tributes paid to Stan by the universities he was associated with, by the ACS Council, and by numerous friends and colleagues.

When expressing condolences to Sonia, POLY should also remember than Sonia had helped Stan back in the 1980s in creating a sound accounting system for POLY, and no doubt had supported him in other endeavors.

From Akihiro Abe, November 4, 2003

It was really a sad news. Stan was one of my closest friends in the polymer society. He helped us a lot in establishing a variety of international programs such as US-Japan, Pacific Polymer Federation (PPF), etc. The last opportunity I saw him was at the ACS fall meeting in New York. I can hardly believe this sudden dark change.

He had an excellent general knowledge and highly refined skills in organizing various scientific activities not only in ACS but also in the world community. Working with him was always highly enjoyable because of his cheerful character. We have lost a great partner!

My wife and I would like to express our heartfelt sympathy to Sonja on her husband's death.

From Dana Garcia, November 5, 2003

The death of Stan Israel is a loss to the entire polymer community. The Division of Polymer Chemistry greatly benefited from his vision, enthusiasm, dedication and hard work. The quality of Polymer Preprints is a testimony of Stan's accomplishments. It has been a privilege to work with Stan on various division activities and most recently on Polymer Preprints. He will be missed by all his collaborators, colleagues and friends.

From Ken-ichi Shida, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan, November 5, 2003

We were deeply shocked to hear of the sudden demise of Professor Stanley C. Israel, an outstanding scientist who made distinguished and historical contr ibutions to the development of polymer science through the activities of the Division Polymer Chemistry, ACS. We would also pay respect to his great ef forts in establishing the Pacific Polymer Federation and his contribution to the good US-Japan relationship among polymer scientists.

The Society of Polymer Science, Japan, would like to express our sincere con dolences to you and Mrs. Israel on his sudden and early death. His name will remain in the memory of our polymer scientists forever.

From James Burke, November 6, 2003

Stan's funeral was conducted Tuesday afternoon in Rockville Center, New York. (Stan, though he had lived much of his adult life in Lowell, Massachusetts and later in Austin, Texas, was forever characterized by his Long Island accent.) Every ACS Board member who could do so - eight of us - attended his funeral and burial service.

Stan will be remembered with great affection. A warm and generous man, he was gifted in many dimensions. By his considerable intelligence, knowledge, and hard work, he became a widely respected polymer scientist and successful educator. With his great wisdom and genuine care for others, he was a valued mentor and advisor for many people. He enjoyed contributing to the success of others. His leadership, common sense, candor, and knack for doing the right thing enabled him to be a highly regarded university administrator. Stan's imagination, high energy, his passion for the chemical sciences and his respect for his colleagues served all of us, and our profession, well. His contributions to the Division of Polymer Chemistry and other ACS Divisions, and to the Committee on Nominations and Elections, over many years were awesome.

Those of us who had the privilege of working with Stan on the ACS Board of Directors will remember him for all the reasons mentioned above, and for more. His sense of integrity was palpable and his friendliness brought us closer together. His mischievous, and sometimes naughty, sense of humor often kept us from taking ourselves too seriously. Moreover, his deep and open affection for Sonja was marvelous to behold.

We have lost a treasure. Stan was an outstanding colleague. His legacy is absolutely impressive. We shall remember Stan and his good works with great warmth and respect, and we shall miss him. Our sympathy and prayers are with Sonja, their son Aaron, their grandchildren, his mother and sister, and his many friends and colleagues in their time of sorrow and loss.

Current POLY Assignment(s) : Editor, Polymer Preprints

Former POLY Assignment(s) : Division Councilor 1990 - 2001; Chairman 1989; Chair Elect 1988; Vice-Chair 1987; Program Chair 1984 - 1986; Treasurer 1979 - 1984