Anthony A. Silvidi Ph.D

Anthony Alfred Silvidi, Ph.D, 91 of Kent, died Monday, April 18, at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna. He was born 17 January 1920, in Steubenville, Ohio, the youngest son of Alfred and Maria Silvidi. Anthony graduated from Catholic Central High School as salutatorian in 1937. He received a B.S. degree in Mathematics in 1943 and a M.S. degree in Physics in 1945 from Ohio University and earned a Doctorate in Physics from The Ohio State University in 1949. He married Lillian E. Ferrelli on 7th June 1947. Dr. Silvidi was Head of Physics and Mathematics at the College of Steubenville from 1949-1951 and spent one year as a research physicist at the Cornell Aeronautical Lab in Buffalo N.Y. In 1952 he was appointed an assistant professor of Physics at Kent State University. In 1953 Dr. Silvidi received the first extramural research grant by a Kent State University faculty member from the National Science Foundation. Promoted to full professor in 1964, Dr. Silvidi was one of the major forces in developing a doctoral program in the Physics Department. With the late Dr. James McGrath, he received funding for research in the area of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) from several government agencies. During his tenure Dr. Silvidi served the university on all major committees and commissions. He was finance committee chairman of the first Collective Bargaining Association. During his latter years, his research interests switched to the area of Biophysics. Along with Dr. Joseph Potter of Akron Children's Hospital, he investigated inborn errors of metabolism in children. Dr. Silvidi published two textbooks, authored 29 articles for scientific journals and gave many oral presentations at scientific meetings. In 1972 he received a NATO grant to deliver a paper on NMR at the institute di Sanita in Rome, Italy. He retired in 1982 and continued to teach and do research until 1992. He was a member of the American Physical Society, the Ohio Section of APS serving as president from 1978-79, and Kent State University chapter of Sigma Xi serving as president in 1961-62 and 1971-72. His civic activities consisted of serving as Kent City Ward 4 D Precinct committeeman, member of the Executive Committee of Portage County Democratic Party from 1974-78, Kent Planning Commission 1974-76. He was a member of the Christopher Columbus Society of Kent since 1960 (its president since 1994) and a member of St. Patrick Church since 1952. Dr. Silvidi had two interests outside physics. He was a musician (trumpet) and for many years was the leader of "Tony's Angels", a group that played the music of the 40-50's at veterans’ hospitals and retirement centers. He also was an outstanding jogger and race walker winning awards at local, state, and National Senior Olympics events. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian; parents; a brother and two sisters. He is survived by four children, Anita (Tom Younger) Silvidi of Madison, WI, Gina (Laurence) Silvidi-Cairns of Milwaukee, WI, Dr. Julius (Marti) Silvidi of Muncie, IN. and Anthony (JoMarie) Silvidi of Akron; and thirteen grandchildren. Calling hours will be held 1-3 and 5-7 PM Monday, April 25th at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home in Kent. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 9:30 AM Tuesday, April 26th at St. Patrick Church. Interment will be held 1:30 PM Tuesday, at Mt. Calvary Resurrection Mausoleum, in Steubenville, OH. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the St. Patrick School Endowment Fund, 127 Portage Street, Kent, Ohio 44240 or the Kent State University Foundation, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242.