Irl Noel Duling Jr.

Irl Noel Duling Jr. of Lancaster, Pa. Irl N. Duling, Jr., 84, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, peacefully at home on Sunday morning, Nov. 10, 2013, after a long illness. At his side was his devoted wife of over 60 years, Lois Linton Duling, and other family members. Dr. Duling was born in Huntington, W. Va. on Jan. 12, 1929, the oldest son of Irl Noel Duling and Mary Bayne Storts Duling. He attended Huntington High School and at the age of 13, became one of the youngest Boy Scouts to attain the rank of Eagle. He continued to work as a volunteer leader for the Scouts until he transferred from Marshall College to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the end of his sophomore year. Irl graduated from M.I.T. in 1950, received his masters degree from the University of Delaware, and his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. He spent 35 years in research and development for the Sun Oil Company and has over 50 patents. He served in the Army in the Counter Intelligence Corps. He was a 60 year member of the American Chemical Society. In addition he served for a number of years on the West Chester area school board, and was a founding member of the Conestoga Valley Coalition which worked to give the Amish farmers access to ag security. He was a great reader, was somewhat of an expert on C.S. Lewis and was a history buff, with an extensive personal library famous among family and friends. His greatest joy was his work with young people. During the years he lived in Chester County, Irl served as a volunteer leader with Young Life, led a college and career age Bible Study group in his home and hosted groups of cadets and midshipmen for fellowship weekends. He had a long relationship with the leaders of the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade, was an active supporter of the Officers' Christian Fellowship and served with the committee that organized the National Prayer Breakfast. Irl was the husband of Lois Linton Duling, with whom he would have celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary on Nov. 29th. They have two children, Irl N. Duling, III of Ann Arbor, Mich., husband of Patricia Connelly Duling, and Barbara Duling Hayward, wife of Robert B. Hayward, Jr. of Lancaster; six grandchildren, Joy Hayward Hermann of Wheaton, Ill., wife of Scott R. Hermann, Andrew N.W. Hayward of Denver, Colo., John R. W. Hayward, husband of Heidi L. Hayward of Lancaster, Anne V.M. Hayward of Lancaster, James S.D. Hayward, and Mason B. Duling of Ann Arbor, Mich. In addition he has two step-grandchildren, Meggan Connelly Flinn, wife of Dr. Christopher Flinn of Chicago, Ill., and Dr. Peter K. Connelly, husband of Krissy Connelly of Madison, Wis., and four step-great grandchildren, Abigail Grace, Joshua and Wesley Flinn, and Mark Sven Connelly. Irl was preceded in death by a sister, Ruth Virginia Duling Via of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and is survived by a brother, Charles Franklin Duling of Huntington, W. Va. The family would like to express their gratitude to the doctors and staff of the Lancaster General Hospital for their care of him during his many medical challenges and to the Visiting Nurse Association and Central Penn Nursing Care for their gracious care of him during his last illness at home. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14th, at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2151 Oregon Pike, Lancaster, Pa. To send an on-line condolence, please visit: KaSnyderFuneralHome.com Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., 717-394-4097.