Margaret Alston-Garnjost

1929 - 2019

BORN

1929

DIED

2019

About

University of California| Berkeley

Margaret Alston-Garnjost Obituary

Margaret Alston-Garnjost Ph.D

January 23, 1929 - February 7, 2019

Margaret passed away peacefully following a long illness. She was able to celebrate her 90th birthday with friends and caregivers. Margaret Hope Alston was born in England in 1929. During World War II, when England was being bombed, Margaret's parents sent her to Cape Town South Africa to live with her cousins where she attended St. Cyprian's School. When she returned to London after the war she studied Physics at the University of Liverpool and earned her Doctorate. Upon recommendation by the faculty she was hired by Lawrence Radiation Lab and moved to the United States. Margaret co-authored several articles with Dr. Luis Alvarez, her project manager at the University of California. Dr. Alvarez won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1968. Since Margaret's name was Alston and his name was Alvarez, the articles were credited to Margaret H Alston, et al., a joke that Dr. Alvarez called attention to in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. Margaret worked on the bubble chamber and wrote many papers all without benefit of computers. Much of her research is still available on the internet today.
In August of 1966 she married Bertram Garnjost in Danville. Bert was also an employee of Lawrence Radiation Lab. When Margaret and Bert retired they moved to Oregon and enjoyed flying, camping, boating and other activities in nature. They returned to live in Rossmoor in 2008. She is survived by her stepson, William Garnjost and her cousins, Louise Brodie of London, Christopher James, Anthony James and Sarah James all of the Republic of SA and many friends at Rossmoor and the University of California. In Margaret's memory, donations may be made to the AAUW (American Association of University Women) for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) scholarships for women or any other educational organization of your choice. A gathering of friends will be held later at Rossmoor. Interested parties may contact Christine at 925-278-1455.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Mar. 1 to Mar. 17, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for Margaret Alston-Garnjost

8 Entries

April 6, 2019

I am so sorry for your loss. May you receive strength and comfort from God. "He will make you firm, he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you." - 1Peter 5:10

April 6, 2019

Margaret was born in England on 23rd January 1929.
Her parents were Norman Alston, who was a tea planter in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka and her mother Pauline James, who was older sister to Kenneth, my father.
During World War II, to avoid the bombing, she was evacuated to Cape Town, South Africa to stay with her Uncle Douglas and Aunt Molly. Uncle Doug was Pauline and Ken's younger brother. While there, she attended St Cyprian's school, and it was agreed that she was extremely bright and they could teach her nothing more.

On returning after the War she attended university to read physics and again her talents were such that she was told that they could offer her nothing in the UK, and that she should go to the USA to do research. She went to the University of California, Berkeley.

Her career was striking, and she was a world class physicist for the remainder of her working life. The highpoint was possibly when she was taken to Norway by her boss, Dr Luis W Alvarez, the experimental physicist (particle physics) when he received the Nobel prize. He could not have achieved this without Margaret and one or two others in his closest team.

Of course we never understood Margaret's work. She did say that it was to do with nuclear fusion (specifically not the bomb) but combining protons to provide energy. I believe, but do not know for certain,, if her work with Alvarez, has resulted in the CERN Hadron Collider near Geneva.

In my memory Margaret was always cheerful and kind when we met. She married Bert Garnjorst in the USA and she and Bert came to stay with us in London, and I went to stay with her on two occasions, after she had retired to Oregon. Bert was the practical one! He looked after her in their daily life, which held no interest for her. She was a brilliant physicist, whose work, while being on a higher plane, will affect all of us in ways we cannot imagine.

Louise Brodie (previously James)

March 14, 2019

My deepest sympathy for your loss. May you find comfort in the knowing that God cares for you and will comfort and sustain your family in the days ahead. (1 Cor 1:3-4)

Margarets 90th birthday

Sandra Medvedoff

March 12, 2019

A. L.

March 11, 2019

May the family be comforted by Jesus' promise of seeing your dear loved one again. John 6:40.

March 5, 2019

My thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. I hope that the promise in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 can bring you comfort. Knowing that there is hope for our loved ones lost in death can be reassuring.

March 5, 2019

I am so sorry for your loss, please accept my sincere condolences. May God bring everlasting comfort to your hearts and give you the strength to endure this difficult time.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16,17

March 3, 2019

My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Margaret. When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure that fills your heart with love and brings you joy. May you find comfort in Jesus promise of the hope of everlasting life at John 6:40.

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