Ellsworth Charles McClenachan

ELLSWORTH CHARLES MCCLENACHAN, PHD a longtime Greenwich resident, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 of complications following a protracted bout with prostate cancer. Dr. McClenachan, known to friends and associates as "Chuck", was 74. He was the son of E. C. McClenachan (Sr), a musician who was among the founders of the American Federation of Musicians, and Margaret S. McClenachan. A student prodigy, McClenachan graduated high school at the age of fifteen, won the annual Illinois State Latin Competition and was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Chicago. Graduating four years later with both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Science degree, he was accepted at the University of Michigan as a protg of Dr. Robert Elderfield, a noted pioneer in the development of anti-cancer agents. McClenachan added a mastery of German to his linguistic skills to secure his Doctorate in Chemistry, awarded in 1959. While at Michigan he met and subsequently married Sue Ann Hill, a Michigan Freshman, who later jested that she was the "only woman ever to win her PhD in 30 days". While earning his degree at The University of Chicago, McClenachan, also a musician, worked as the creator of the musical arrangements for Barbara Ann Scott's Hollywood Ice Review. McClenachan began his business career as a chemist at the American Cyanamid facility in Stamford, Ct. After becoming Vice President of Miller Stephenson Chemical in Danbury, Ct, he left to start his own chemical firm, the R. H. Carlson Company, a developer of specialty lubricants and adhesives for the aerospace and electronic industries. When the Carlson firm, located in Greenwich, was purchased by a British conglomerate, Chuck and his partner William Merritt, began a chemical consultancy, Polymer Engineering of Stamford, Ct. In 1999 McClenachan was asked to join the Board of Directors of Connecticut Innovations, a quasi-public venture capital firm owned by the State of Connecticut that provides seed capital to business startups domiciled in the state. In 2000 he became the chairman of the Connecticut Innovations Technology Committee, overseeing test beds, grant programs and the Yankee Ingenuity Awards Program. In 2001 he additionally joined the Advisory Board of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and in 2003 was named Vice Chairman of Connecticut Innovations. In 2003 Connecticut Innovations named Chuck the recipient of its Distinguished Service Award. Following his retirement from the CI Board in 2007, the organization created a new continuing annual award in his honor, the E. Charles McClenachan Award. A member of Indian Harbor Yacht club since 1968, he served as its Commodore in 1988 and 1989. Chuck sailed Luders 16's, being President of the International Luders 16 Association. He later owned and sailed a Catalina 30 with his wife and son. His last sailboat was an Allied Princess 36, which he owned jointly with Commodore Roswell Curtis. Chuck took particular pride in both his Scots heritage and deep American roots. One forebear, Charles Thompson, was Secretary of the Continental Congress. Another, a Revolutionary War ship captain, Blair McClenachan, donated his ships ballast to George Washington to make bullets for the Revolutionary Army at Valley Forge. His great-great-grandfather, Charles Thompson McClenachan, helped develop the transatlantic cable and wrote the first Fire Laws for the City of New York. McClenachan is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sue Hill McClenachan. His son, Craig Charles McClenachan and daughter-in-law Jacqueline Gabriel McClenachan, and two grandsons, Brandon Michael and Colin James McClenachan live in Wilton, Connecticut. Chuck took great pride in Craig, Jackie, Brandon and Colin. In accordance with his wishes his ashes will be scattered on Long Island Sound in a private ceremony. His family will hold a celebration of his life at a later date. Donations may be made in his memory to The American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT. 06897.