David A. Glocker Ph.D.

David Appler Glocker Ph.D. died on January 2, 2025, just short of his 56th wedding anniversary. He was born in Baltimore in 1946 to Edwin M. and Elma A. Glocker. Loving grandfather to Amelia Grace, Annabelle Jamison, and Winston Aaron Glocker; proud father of Roan Jamison Glocker MD, laudatory father-in-law of Miranda Harris Glocker MD and best friend and husband of Janet Jamison Glocker.
Dr. Glocker majored in Physics at Washington & Lee (BS), William & Mary (MS) and Clemson University (Ph.D.). Upon graduation from Clemson, Dr. Glocker taught at RIT, where he received the Eisenhart Teaching Award.
For decades, Dr. Glocker served the American Vacuum Society (AVS) and the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC): advisory board memberships, moderating technical sessions, teaching training sessions in the U.S. and abroad utilizing his unique ability to explain the most complex scientific interactions to both the seasoned scientist and the new graduate in the field. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Nathanial Sugarman Memorial Award by the SVC in 2009.
Dr. Glocker joined Kodak Research Laboratories in 1983. During his 15 years at Eastman Kodak, he held technical leadership positions as Project Leader, Group Leader, and senior member of the management team of the Vacuum Coating and Electrostatics Laboratory. As a technologist, he made major contributions in the field of sputtering deposition of thin films and plasma treatment of polymer surfaces; he led the development of a process which made possible the manufacture of the photographic film for the new Advantix system. His technical expertise resulted in twenty patents for Kodak.
Dr. Glocker transitioned from Kodak establishing his own company, Isoflux, Inc. in 1993. Isoflux was a manufacturing and process development company. For decades he was the chief technology officer and president working with pharmaceutical, biomedical, and manufacturing companies like Johnson & Johnson, Gore, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and the Kurt J. Lesker Company resulting in an additional 24 U.S. patents. He consulted with dozens of other companies in fields ranging from medical to optics to semiconductors; Rochester's Optimax Systems was one of the last companies with whom he consulted. Isoflux's intellectual property was sold to Denton Vacuum which continues to use the Isoflux name on products.
Dr. Glocker served as an expert witness and dissertation advisor, selected because of his explanatory skills and broad technical knowledge. He co-edited the multivolume Handbook of Thin Film Process Technology for the Institute of Physics and Medical Coatings and Deposition Technologies for Scrivener Publishing.
In retirement David enjoyed restoring his cobblestone home, fly fishing, woodworking, and maintaining equipment for lawnmowing and light farming activities. There were many large areas to be mowed, all "turns" were made at precise right angles. He was an avid reader of history, especially the Civil War period. He served the town of Rush and its residents seeking town government officials who put the residents' interest first; he was a member of the Zoning Appeals Board.
No family or grandchild's construction project was too big for David; built-in pantry, kitchen desk, window seats, vanities, beds with secret compartments, and makeup organizers. G'pa delighted in Amelia, Annie and Winston's one-on-one adventures, ballet performances, baseball games- always a chauffeur at the ready. For decades he closely followed the Baltimore Orioles; David, Roan and Winston traveled to Baltimore for the Orioles games. They were the "O's Bros," texting during televised games.
He raised his grandchildren on knock, knock jokes, graduating to puns and clever asides for the adults. He had an inexhaustible supply of jokes for every occasion. This hardworking, funny, smart, and wise but humble man will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Rush Historical Society, 5977 East Henrietta Rd., Rush, NY 14543 or the Society of Vacuum Coating Foundation at SVC, P.O. Box 10628, Albuquerque, NM 87184. A link to the webpage is: https://www.svcfoundation.org/product/donate/ where "In Memory of David Glocker" can be selected.