David Buckingham Wilson

Wilson, David Buckingham

David Buckingham Wilson passed away on April 29, 2017, at the age of 77. The son of E. Bright Wilson and Emily Buckingham, David was born into a family of distinguished scientists and engineers. He attended Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, before his family moved to Concord in his early teens. There he attended Concord High and then The Putney School. On the weekends and holidays, David and his family enjoyed outdoor activities, including kayaking on the local waterways. During his late teen years he spent his summers working in laboratories at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and sailing off the coast of Massachusetts. It was at Woods Hole that David met his wife of 55 years, Nancy, née Heffelfinger.

David earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1961 and his doctorate from Stanford University in 1966. Both were in Biochemistry. In 1967, after a year and a half of postdoctoral research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, David joined the faculty of the Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, in the Department of Biological Sciences at Cornell University.

During his 50 years at Cornell, David pioneered basic research into the structure and function of cellulases, while exploring their industrial uses, such as for biofuel production, and teaching classes in biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. David mentored many students and postdocs and is remembered for his professional and personal generosity, integrity, and commitment to science.

David showed a similar commitment to the Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca, where he served on the Board of Directors for over 20 years and as Chairman of the Board from 1994-1999.

David was a devoted husband and father, often taking his three daughters fishing and hiking and otherwise sharing with them many of the activities and interests of his youth. He enjoyed all sports as a player and fan, and coached youth soccer and softball teams when his daughters were young. Two of his favorites activities were cross-country skiing and playing tennis with his wife and friends, which he did well into his seventies.

David is survived by his wife Nancy and daughters Allison (Jonathan), Ashley (Jesse) and Laurie (Marcus), and grandson Louis; sisters Nina (Robert) and Anne (Alan); brothers Paul (Margaret) and Steven (Christopher); sisters-in-law Alison and Carol; nieces Emily (Matthew), Jennifer, Holly (Ian) and Fiona; and nephew Justin. David was predeceased by his parents Bright and Emily, his stepmother Thérèse, his brother Kenneth, brother-in-law Terry and nephew Kyle.

A celebration of his life and work will be held June 30th in the Biotech Building, Room G-10 on the Cornell Campus. A 3pm lecture by Professor Ed Bayer, of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, will be followed by a 4pm memorial and reception. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation in David's memory to the Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau.