John Royal Ferron, 88, an Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering, passes away
John Royal Ferron, 88, an Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering, passed away on March 19, 2015, in Gresham, Oregon. John Ferron joined the University of Rochester in 1969 and served as the Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering until 1977. He retired in 1993.
John was born in Anoka, Minnesota, to his parents; George and Anne (Pohlod) Ferron, on October 29, 1926. John attended High School in Minnesota, and after graduation he served in the Navy from 1944 until 1946, and at that time he was honorably discharged. After John's service, he attended the University of Minnesota, and he received both his Bachelor's and Master's Degree. John worked as a Chemical Engineer at DuPont, Niagara Falls, New York, where he met Roberta McCleary, and they were married on May 12, 1951, in Lancaster. They resided in Madison, Wisconsin where he received his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. John and Roberta then moved to Newark, Delaware where he became a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware. In 1969, they moved to Rochester, New York where John became the Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Rochester. John is remembered as a mentor and friend to students and fellow professors in the Department. John retired in 1993, and in 1998, John and Roberta moved to Depoe Bay, where, as avid readers themselves, they organized the resident's library at Little Whale Cove where a plaque names it the Roberta and John Ferron Library. John and Roberta also volunteered at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and attended the Congregational Church of Lincoln City, where they sang in the choir. John was a man with many hobbies: he enjoyed playing bridge, singing in church choirs, visiting casinos, gardening, reading, camping, traveling, and the New York Times crossword puzzle. John was also a member of the American Chemical Society, Alpha Chi Sigma, and Phi Lambda Epsilon.
John was preceded in death by his parents; George and Anne Ferron; and his wife; Roberta Ferron. John is survived by his children; John R. Ferron, Catherine A. (Paul Roberts) Ferron, David G. (Gina) Ferron, and Robert C. (Cindy) Ferron; his grandchildren; Angela, Joseph, Alex, Cole, Thomas, and Paige; as well as his sister, Jeanne Brandeen. He lived a full life and will be missed by many.
