Dr. Reginald A. Deering

Dr. Reginald A. Deering September 21, 1923 -January 26, 2006 Dr. Reginald A. Deering, 73, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, died on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at The Atrium. He was born in Brooks, Maine, on Sept. 21, 1932, the son of the late Raymond and Sybil Tibbetts Deering. With his first wife, Anne-Lise, he had three sons, Eric, of Milesburg, Mark, of Irvine, Calif., and Norman, of Seattle, Wash.; and a daughter, Linda, of Rumsey, Calif. He had one grandson, Aidan, of Rumsey, Calif., as well as a brother-in-law, Raymond Kimball; two nieces; three nephews; five grand-nieces and one grand-nephew. In 1994, while living in Australia, he married his second wife, Lorene Stitzer, who is the mother of his stepson, J.R. Toner, of Bellefonte. In addition to his parents, a sister, Nita Kimball, of Waterville, Maine, preceded him in death. He graduated from Brooks High School in Brooks, Maine, in 1950, and received a bachelor's degree in engineering physics and chemistry from the University of Maine in Orono in 1954, as valedictorian of his class. He then pursued a Ph.D. in biophysics at Yale University and graduated in 1957. From that point on, he dedicated his life to teaching and became an Assistant Professor of physics at Southern Illinois University, a Fullbright Postdoctoral Fellow of Biophysics at the University of Oslo and as Associate Professor of Biophysics and Chemistry at New Mexico Highlands University. In 1964, he came to Penn State as an Associate Professor of Biophysics and remained at Penn State as a biophysicist and molecular biologist, until his retirement in 1996. During that time, he was Acting Department Head of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology from 1987 until 1989, as well as Chair of many department and college committees throughout his career. He was a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the American Society for Microbiology. His research on DNA repair was funded by the National Institutes of Health for 25 consecutive years. As a professor, he had the honor of advising 18 Ph.D. students, three master's students and five postdoctoral fellows. He published over 80 scientific papers throughout his career. One of his most treasured accomplishments as an educator was in 1994 when he received the Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award at Penn State. He is remembered as "a highly respected role model, a profound thinker, and a life-long teacher to his students." In addition to his academic endeavors, he loved travel. His first major adventure was in 1955 when he collected blind fish and reptiles from the caves of Southern Mexico for the American Museum of Natural History. He took advantage of every opportunity for adventure in both his professional life and that of his retirement. As a Professor Emeritus, he attended many anthropology classes and participated in archeological digs in American Indian digs in the eastern part of the U.S., a Mayan dig in the jungles of Belize and re-excavation of Hadrian's Wall in the United Kingdom. There was no challenge or living condition that would deter his enthusiasm. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, of State College, where a memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Ronald C. Miller Jr. officiating. Friends will be received after the service. A private burial will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2221 N. Oak Ln., State College, PA 16803. Arrangements are under the direction of the Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College, PA 16801.