Dr. Joseph Bert Murdoch

LEE - Dr. Joseph Bert Murdoch, 91, Professor of Electrical Engineering, internationally-recognized expert in lighting technology, and an active participant in the Durham and UNH community, died on Friday, September 21, 2018 with his five children by his side.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 31, 1927, he was the son of Armand Leigh (Pete) Murdoch (UNH '15) and Caroline Lamb Neal. Joe grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and was a lifelong Cleveland Indians fan, but spent many childhood summers in Syracuse, N.Y., visiting his mother's family, descendants of L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz. His connection to Baum later inspired his creation of the "Santa in Oz" Christmas display that has been an annual tradition in the Seacoast area.

Following graduation from High School in 1945, he was accepted at Case Institute of Technology, but shortly after, enlisted in the Navy and was accepted into radar school. When World War II ended he re-enrolled at Case, graduating in 1950, and joined General Electric's lighting division in Nela Park, Ohio. While on a blind date, he met Ann Louise Eble, a Hiram College student, whom he married in 1951.

That same year, he visited his cousins in Dover, N.H. and, after a day of painting his cousin's house, he drove to Durham to pick up his cousin's grades at UNH. He walked in to Kingsbury Hall in his paint clothes and stopped by the engineering department, where he was interviewed on the spot and offered a position, beginning a fifty-year career at UNH. He was promoted to Assistant Professor after completing his Masters at UNH and received his Full Professorship in 1964, after having completed his PhD back at Case.

His professional focus was network theory and lighting, about which he wrote several books including his last book, "Illuminating Engineering, from Edison's Lamp to the LED". He was elected President of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) in 1993, and received the IESNA Distinguished Service Award in 1988. Over his career at UNH he served as Electrical Engineering Department Chair (1967-1975), Chairman of the University Senate, and founding professor of the UNH Sea Grant program. His service earned him several awards, including the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Teacher award, the UNH Distinguished Professor recognition, and the UNH Alumni Meritorious Service Award (2005). From 1997 to 2003, he served as a member of the University of New Hampshire Alumni Board Of Trustees, the first Trustee that had been both a student and a faculty member at the University.

Joe was a chair of the Oyster River Cooperative School District schoolboard and member of the Durham/Great Bay Rotary Club, a cherished youth baseball and basketball coach as well as a consultant on town lighting projects. But above all, his first love was family. He attended nearly every game or performance his kids and grandkids were in, and carted his kids from the American West to the Scottish "homeland", teaching them songs, history, and math(!) all along the way.

Joe was predeceased by his wife, Ann.

He is survived by his five children: Joseph Murdoch, Seattle, Wash., Peter Murdoch, Cropseyville, N.Y., Amy Metcalf- Contoocook, N.H., Annie Snelling-Lee, N.H., and Thomas Murdoch-Lee, N.H., and by his 13 grandchildren: Andrew, Sierra, Kate, Corey, Ben, Winslow, Max, Ian, Molly, Sarah, Ned, Jessie and Sydney!

SERVICES: A memorial service is being planned for December, 2018 at a time and location to be determined.