William M. Saltman

William M. Saltman, renowned research scientist survivor of war and explosions, devoted father and husband, dies in bed at 102. Dr. William Mose Saltman, inventor of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company's signature rubber NATSYN, died May 28 in San Diego, California. His wife of 77 years, Dr. Juliet Saltman, 97, a retired Akron University professor, was by his side. He leaves her; their three children, David, Nina and Daniel; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Dr. Saltman was one of the world's foremost authorities on polymer and rubber chemistry. During his 35 years at Goodyear Research he wrote much of and edited the standard text on the subject, The Stereo Rubbers . He was also an accomplished photographer and enthusiastic golfer, and went to the library every Saturday for decades to return and check out a new stack of books. The family issued this statement: " After surviving ... The Great Depression -- WW2 combat -- a chemical explosion -- being attacked by the McCarthy committee -- a malady unknown to medical science ("Dude, we don't know what that is, but it's coming out!") -- various surgeries including a 5-way heart bypass -- a broken back at age 98 ... we all thought he was indestructible! "We once asked how he had managed to live so long. He replied: 'It was eating all those preservatives!'"