Professor Patrick William JACOBS

JACOBS, Professor Patrick William MCCarthy, Ph.D., D.Sc. - On March 31, 2013 the world of chemistry lost an enthusiastic participant with a distinguished record of publication, teaching and co-operative research. At 89 years of age, Professor Patrick William McCarthy Jacobs, Ph.D., D.Sc. passed away at North York General Hospital from congestive heart failure. Born in Umhlali, (near Durban) KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Patrick obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. at the University of Natal. After stints in the Special Signals Unit (army) and at Rhodes College after the war, he moved to Imperial College, London, England, where he received his Ph.D. in 1951 and D.Sc. in 1963, attaining the post of senior lecturer. In 1965 he moved to the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario to become Senior Professor of Chemistry. In 1970 Patrick co-founded the Centre for Chemical Physics at Western with Dr. William McGowan, bringing together likeminded researchers to create a network which exists today and will hold a symposium in his name in England in September of this year. He continued research in the areas of solid state reactions, electronic and ionic defects in crystals, simulation of solids using molecular dynamics and quantum chemical techniques, publishing a total of 315 papers and two books, "Group Theory with Applications in Chemical Physics" in 2010 and "Thermodynamics" in 2013. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1980, he assisted universities in Latvia and Poland in rebuilding their research programs and was recognized with an award by the Royal Society of Chemistry. He formally retired in 1989; but as Professor Emeritus was active until 2009. Patrick is survived by his spouse, Mary Frances Mullin, first wife Elizabeth Jacobs, children Richard Jacobs, Laura Jacobs Yousif and Robert Jacobs; also by grandchildren Armand Yousif and Tali Yousif. He was predeceased by second wife, Rita Neale. He is remembered by his many friends, colleagues and family members as an incisive intellect, a great wit and someone capable of living life to the fullest, as evidenced by his many hobbies, travel, hiking, camping, gardening, theatre, opera, orchestral music, art, reading and baking bread. Patrick's will specified that there should not be a funeral; details of a memorial service will follow. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Ark Aid Mission, 696 Dundas Street, London, Ontario N5W 2Z4, 519-661-0280, Attention: Mr. Doug Whitelaw, www.arkaidmission.com/