Harry Paul Ponisi

Surrounded by his family and loved ones, HARRY PAUL PONISI, age 84, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 8. He was a resident of Nassau Bay since 1973. Harry, a joy to all who knew him, was blessed with a wry sense of humor and a sharp financial and scientific mind. Born in the Bronx, NY, on May 12, 1922, the son of Harry and Betty Ponisi, Harry attended public schools in the Bronx and Somerville, NJ. He served overseas in the U.S. Army during WWII, obtained his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University in 1947 and his M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1948. Before his retirement in 1985, he worked for companies including Bethlehem Steel, Bangor Paper & Pulp, Standard Oil Development and Hercules. He and his family resided in cities including Princeton, NJ, and Wilmington DE, before moving to Houston in 1973 with Hercules. He was involved in the startup of a polypropylene plant in Houston, helped write successful patents, prepared financial formats and grant requests. Harry is survived by Vi, his loving wife of 53 years; their daughter Diane and her husband Leon Duschl of Forked River, NJ, and their son Doug and his partner Claude Gruener of Austin. An avid golfer before Parkinson disease limited his activities, Harry excelled in sports while in college, particularly pole vaulting and tennis. In Nassau Bay, he loved his home and garden, genealogy and working on his computer. He was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and enjoyed the church and its care group. Visitation is scheduled for 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, at Crowder Funeral Home, 111 E. Medical Center Blvd., Webster. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 12, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Gloria Dei, 18220 Upper Bay Rd., Nassau Bay. Interment will be at the Ponisi family plot at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Flushing, NY. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, www.parkinson.org.