Emeritus Faculty Who Have Passed Away
Emeritus Faculty Who Have Passed Away | Alumni & Friends Who Have Passed Away
E. Russell Johnston, Jr. passed away January 2010 after a long illness. He was born December 26, 1925, in Philadelphia, PA, the sone of E Russell Johnston Sr. and Ethel (Doherty) Johnston. He received his B.S. from the University of Delaware and his M.S. and Sc.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He taught civil engineering at Lehigh University and Worester Polytechnic Institute before coming to the University of Connecticut where he taught for twenty six years, serving as head of the department of civil engineering from 1972 to 1977. He was the recipient of numerous awards from engineering societies over the years. He was also the co-author, with the late Professor Ferdinand Beer, of Mechanics for Engineers, Vector Mechanics for Engineers, and Mechanics of Materials. In 2001, the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company added Beer and Johnston's names to the Outstanding New Mechanics Educator Award it sponsors in order to honor both men for their contribution to the field of engineering education. Russ was a world traveler, making his first trip to Europe after graduating from college, staying for extended periods in Switzerland and England with his wife and children, and making a trip around the world in the 1970s. After retirement he was active with Meals on Wheels for several years.
LaVergne E. Williams passed away July 2010. Born in Itta Bena, MS, he was a Brevard resident since 1956. He was an electrical engineer who retired from Aerospace Corp. as Manager of Avionics on the Titan Program in 1980. Prior to this, he was a Principal Engineer with Radiation, Inc.; Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in CT and FL. He served as a Radiological Advisor for the CT Office of Civil Defense. Mr. Williams was active in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers where he held various offices. In 1966, he received the first "Engineer of the Year" award in the Cape Kennedy area by the FL Engineering Society and Canaveral Counsel of Technical Societies "for significant achievements and contributions in the field of engineering." In 1968, he received the Dr. Martin L. O'Neill Award from the UConn Club of the University of CT "for his distinguished achievements in the field of aerospace engineering." He had numerous publicatons and patents in the engineering field and was a member of several national honor societies in engineering and physics, Phi Kappa Phi, Eta Kappa Nu, Sigma Tau, Tau Beta Phi, and Sigma Pi Sigma. He was a Director of Opto Mechanik, Inc. and was Chairman of the board of Indian River Cablevision. He helped form the Indialantic Elementary PTA and served as president.
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