Nathaniel Arbiter

ARBITER, Nathaniel, Professor Emeritus of Columbia University, died October 5, 2008 at age 97, leaving multiple legacies of love, ethics, adventure and professionalism for family, friends, former students and colleagues. Professor Arbiter was born January 2, 1911 in Yonkers, NY to David and Ida Cora (Rockman) Arbiter. He was one of seven siblings. Educated as an undergraduate and graduate at Columbia, he came to Arizona in the 1940s, with Phelps-Dodge in Morenci. Later, he joined the faculty of Columbia's Henry Krumb School of Mines. There, he began his global travels. He took early retirement to join Anaconda in Tucson in 1968, quickly becoming Director of Research world wide, and later, Consulting Metallurgist. He continued as a private consultant upon his second retirement. For six decades he was a leader in metallurgical research: however, he considered his greatest success to lie in the accomplishments of the people he mentored in the classroom and the field of mineral processing. He is remembered more personally for his constancy of love to family and friends, his principled work ethic, his spirit, that was both rooted at home and happy when wandering, and the deep laughter his wife or children could evoke. Blessed by his memory are his wife and companion in adventure of 47 years, Carolyn Stella (Metz) Arbiter; his children, Jane Arbiter Latane, Jerome Arbiter, Commander, USN (ret)(Kathi), Robin Arbiter, Dorothy Arbiter (Robert Green), and Corinna Arbiter; his grandchildren, Julia Latane (James Graham), Claire Latane, Jasper Latane, Michael Arbiter, Connor Arbiter, Rachel Green and Cora Arbiter; his great-grandchildren, Grace, Jacob and Levi Goode, and his remaining siblings, William Arbiter and Jan Arbiter. Memorial plans are pending.