Gilbert P Haight

I came across Professor Haight's obituary today. I was an engineering student at UIUC in the 80s and I remember his chemistry Christmas lecture. I saw it at 2:00 PM on December 6, 1984. My notes say: "amusing," He was an unforgettable part of my life in college and for that I will always be grateful. My deepest condolences to his family.

I loved working with Gil at the University of Illinois. He was a great scientist, good friend, and remarkable human being.

Gil was my mentor as I started my teaching career at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 1976. He was tremendously supportive to me and the other newly graduated chemistry faculty members. He inspired us, he pushed us and he and Shirley welcomed us. Being a professor was never in my plan, but when Gil invited me to try it, there was not looking back - he changed my life. I have been teaching college chemistry all the years since - including yesterday when I did a chemistry demonstration with a hydrogen balloon that Gil would have recognized. Thanks for prompting these memories.

After Stephanie Haight and I met in 1983 and decided that we would stay together and get married, we went to visit the family and join them after Stephanie's brother had passed. I had really mixed feelings about meeting my future inlaws during such a difficult time of sadness and grief. When we got there I very quickly realized that I would become a member of a family just like mine: warm hearted, close to each other and despite the sad time quite funny! Gil had this special wit and he and Shirley together were just a wonderful loving team! We spent time with them not only in Seattle quite often but also took a wonderful trip through parts of Italy together to visit Rome and Tuscany and truly enjoyed travelling together (even though Gil remarked that "the only way to experience a country is to live there"). I also remember that we played tennis on Kauai when Gil was 83 and he commented that it scared him that he would have to play for another 20 years... he assumed that he would have reached the 100 following his mothers example. Sadly he did not but he had such a full life, seeing so many places, making so many friends all over the world, that he certainly did not miss anything! I will always remember him as a great husband for Shirley, a great father for Stephanie, Jennifer, Sand and Chad, a great grandfather and for me as a wonderful father in law. Rest in peace and be sure you will be remembered forever!

I'm sorry that I only just discoverd Prof. Haight's obituary. He was my undergraduate research advisor and mentor at UIUC from 1973-1976. He was a brilliant, warm generous man of great humor. Farewell, Gil!

My Dad, Prof. Dr. Gilbert Pierce Haight, Jr. passed last Monday, April 27. He had a passion for teaching chemistry, for scholarship, for playing tennis, music, cards, with puzzles and telling puns. He had a love of family, juggling 6 kids with his career and living up to the noble standards of his constant companion of nearly 70 years, my Mom. He had a determination in spirit and in practice of eternal youth allowing us never really wanting to grow up, but at the same time embracing the responsibilities of adulthood. We will always remember his humor and the laughter he brought to everyone he encountered, be it one person or an audience in a full auditorium! We will be celebrating Mom's 93rd birthday on Tuesday, May 5th and his nearly 93 years of life and the joy he brought us. His memory will bring smiles to our faces and whenever we look up to the star lit skies, we will think of that special twinkle in his eyes! I love you Dad! Ich liebe Dich!
Stephanie L. Haight-Kuntze
Berlin, Germany