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Edward Jefferson Obituary
Edward G. Jefferson passed away peacefully surrounded by his family early in the morning of Thursday, February 9, 2006.
Dr. Jefferson retired as chairman and chief executive officer of the DuPont Company in May of 1986.
Born July 15, 1921, in London, England, Dr. Jefferson served in the British Royal Artillery in World War II, participating in the Normandy invasion in 1944.
In Normandy, he participated in operations of the 30th Corps and the 43rd Wessex Division, including Operation Epsom and Operation Goodwood.
Subsequently in Holland, Captain Jefferson participated in Operation "Market Garden" in which American and British forces attacked across the Meuse Escant Canal towards Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem. His service was recognized by award of several campaign medals and stars, and the distinction of "Mentioned in Dispatches" by King George VI.
He graduated from King's College, University of London, with first-class honors in chemistry and was awarded the Samuel Smiles Prize for Chemistry. He subsequently received a doctoral degree at King's College, where he was also elected as a fellow. He is also a member of the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 1981, Dr. Jefferson led the DuPont Company in the acquisition of Conoco to improve the underpinning of energy and hydrocarbon raw materials for DuPont. Dr. Jefferson was a strong supporter of R&D for DuPont and provided special leadership in biochemical and bioengineering initiatives.
He is a former co-chairman of The Business Roundtable; a member of the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, of which he was formerly chairman; a former vice chairman of The Conference Board; a former member of the President's Export Council; and was a member of the U.S. Council for International Business. He is an honorary member of The Business Council, and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, and the Directors of Industrial Research.
Dr. Jefferson was a director of the Chemical Banking Corporation and its subsidiary, Chemical Bank, and a director of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. He also served on the boards of the Diamond State Telephone Company and the Seagram Company Ltd. He served as a director of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, and as a member of the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission. He is a former Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware and past Chairman of the Visiting Committee of the Medical School and School of Dental Medicine at Harvard University.
He also served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware. The Jefferson family has held the University of Delaware in special regard, making many contributions to the school including the donation of a pipe organ to the Edward G and Naomi L. Jefferson Music Gallery, and an Andre Harvey Sculpture. A chair was established in Dr. Jefferson's name at the University's Biotechnology Institute.
He was helpful to higher education in a number of other ways. He was chairman of the Advisory Board, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and of Tuskegee University. He was a Robert S. Hatfield Fellow in economic education at Cornell University, and a Warren K. Lewis lecturer at MIT.
Dr. Jefferson is survived by his wife of 52 years, the former Naomi Nale Love of Charleston, West Virginia; son, Charles David Jefferson of Charlottesville, Virginia; son, Andrew McKinley Jefferson and his wife, Heather D. Jefferson, of Greenville, Delaware; and three grandchildren, Peter Marion Jefferson, Charles David Jefferson Jr., and Marshall Edward Jefferson. Dr. Jefferson is also survived by his brother, David Jefferson, and sisters-in-law, Barbara, Delphine, and Bettine, all of the United Kingdom.
Dr. Jefferson was predeceased by his sons, Edward G. Jefferson Jr., and Peter L. Jefferson.
A service of Thanksgiving will be held 11 a.m. Monday, February 13, 2006, at Christ Church, Christiana Hundred. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the University of Delaware, Department of Music, Newark, DE 19716.
Arrangements by Chandler Funeral Home & Crematory, chandlerfuneralhome.com
Dr. Jefferson retired as chairman and chief executive officer of the DuPont Company in May of 1986.
Born July 15, 1921, in London, England, Dr. Jefferson served in the British Royal Artillery in World War II, participating in the Normandy invasion in 1944.
In Normandy, he participated in operations of the 30th Corps and the 43rd Wessex Division, including Operation Epsom and Operation Goodwood.
Subsequently in Holland, Captain Jefferson participated in Operation "Market Garden" in which American and British forces attacked across the Meuse Escant Canal towards Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem. His service was recognized by award of several campaign medals and stars, and the distinction of "Mentioned in Dispatches" by King George VI.
He graduated from King's College, University of London, with first-class honors in chemistry and was awarded the Samuel Smiles Prize for Chemistry. He subsequently received a doctoral degree at King's College, where he was also elected as a fellow. He is also a member of the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 1981, Dr. Jefferson led the DuPont Company in the acquisition of Conoco to improve the underpinning of energy and hydrocarbon raw materials for DuPont. Dr. Jefferson was a strong supporter of R&D for DuPont and provided special leadership in biochemical and bioengineering initiatives.
He is a former co-chairman of The Business Roundtable; a member of the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, of which he was formerly chairman; a former vice chairman of The Conference Board; a former member of the President's Export Council; and was a member of the U.S. Council for International Business. He is an honorary member of The Business Council, and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, and the Directors of Industrial Research.
Dr. Jefferson was a director of the Chemical Banking Corporation and its subsidiary, Chemical Bank, and a director of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. He also served on the boards of the Diamond State Telephone Company and the Seagram Company Ltd. He served as a director of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, and as a member of the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission. He is a former Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware and past Chairman of the Visiting Committee of the Medical School and School of Dental Medicine at Harvard University.
He also served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware. The Jefferson family has held the University of Delaware in special regard, making many contributions to the school including the donation of a pipe organ to the Edward G and Naomi L. Jefferson Music Gallery, and an Andre Harvey Sculpture. A chair was established in Dr. Jefferson's name at the University's Biotechnology Institute.
He was helpful to higher education in a number of other ways. He was chairman of the Advisory Board, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and of Tuskegee University. He was a Robert S. Hatfield Fellow in economic education at Cornell University, and a Warren K. Lewis lecturer at MIT.
Dr. Jefferson is survived by his wife of 52 years, the former Naomi Nale Love of Charleston, West Virginia; son, Charles David Jefferson of Charlottesville, Virginia; son, Andrew McKinley Jefferson and his wife, Heather D. Jefferson, of Greenville, Delaware; and three grandchildren, Peter Marion Jefferson, Charles David Jefferson Jr., and Marshall Edward Jefferson. Dr. Jefferson is also survived by his brother, David Jefferson, and sisters-in-law, Barbara, Delphine, and Bettine, all of the United Kingdom.
Dr. Jefferson was predeceased by his sons, Edward G. Jefferson Jr., and Peter L. Jefferson.
A service of Thanksgiving will be held 11 a.m. Monday, February 13, 2006, at Christ Church, Christiana Hundred. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the University of Delaware, Department of Music, Newark, DE 19716.
Arrangements by Chandler Funeral Home & Crematory, chandlerfuneralhome.com
Published by Daily Progress from Feb. 11 to Feb. 13, 2006.
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