Kenneth L. "Ken" Nash Ph.D.

1950 - 2025

Kenneth L. "Ken" Nash, Ph.D.
Born: July 6, 1950 in Joliet, IL
Died: November 13, 2025 in Gainesville, FL
Kenneth L. "Ken" Nash, Ph.D.
Age 75 of Gainesville, Florida, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2025 at Haven Hospice Care Center with his loving family at his side.
Born July 6, 1950, Ken was a son of Ralph and Mae Rose (née Gregorash) Nash.
He attended St. Mary Immaculate School and Plainfield High School (Class of 1968). During the early 1970s, Ken attended Lewis College where he met and dated Robin Ford. Their lives took different paths for a time, while Ken attended Florida State University in pursuit of his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, did postdoctoral work at Argonne National Laboratory, then worked in Denver, Colorado at the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1985, following the death of Robin's first husband Donald G. Ellis, Ken and Robin reconnected and underwent a year-long courtship. Ken returned to Illinois with his cat, Charlie, and on December 7, 1986, he and Robin were married at Grace United Methodist Church in Joliet. They made their home in Shorewood with their three beautiful children, Aaron, Brett, and Cody, surrounded by loving friends, family, and beloved pets. Here, many parties were hosted, volleyball and croquet were played in the yard, the snowblower consistently broke down, and love was found in abundance.
For the next 17 years, Ken conducted research at Argonne National Laboratory, focusing on addressing the challenges of nuclear waste management and advancing nuclear fuel cycles. Then, in 2003, Ken and Robin relocated to Pullman, Washington, where Ken worked as a Professor of Chemistry at Washington State University and found his calling as a teacher. He developed the "Nash Group" and mentored many students during their Ph.D., Master's, and undergraduate educations in nuclear chemistry. Ken retired as Professor Emeritus and moved to Pensacola, FL in 2018, then to rival Gators territory in Gainesville, FL in 2021. Ken received many honors in his career and was ultimately awarded with the prestigious Glenn T. Seaborg Award for Nuclear Chemistry in August 2024.
He spent decades contributing to research in nuclear and separation chemistry and educating the next generation of scientists. He contributed as an editor to several chemistry journals and published extensively on fundamental actinide chemistry, solvent extraction, and environmental chemistry, providing critical insights for scientific understanding and practical applications in the nuclear industry.
However, nothing in Ken's career was as meaningful to him as his relationships with his students and colleagues. He was described as a "pioneer cowboy scientist with true grit… and a damn fine hand with a lasso". When one student initially worried about traveling from France to study under Ken, they were immediately comforted by "the man with the mustache and FSU jacket" who picked them up from the airport in a Porsche. Another student gave their son the middle name "Nash" because of Ken's profound influence in their life. One was wisely advised that "the easy stuff is OK, but don't be afraid to take on the hard research problems". Nash Group meetings were more akin to family gatherings. He was "quite simply a stubbornly positive force in the universe".
In his free time, Ken was often found reading novels, watching one of his thousands of DVDs, listening to some of his favorite Kenny Loggins and James Taylor songs and playing Euchre with his family. He cherished his 1996 Mustang Cobra SVT, the latest and favorite of his series of cars, which included a 1967 Cutlass 442 and a 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. He was continuously disappointed by the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears but was a steadfast fan.
One of his favorite joys was taking family vacations to St. George Island, Florida, which he continued to do from the 1970s until the year of his passing. Despite his aversion to water, he enjoyed Jimmy Buffett's "island escapism" lifestyle and eating cheeseburgers in paradise.
Family members primarily describe their favorite memories of Ken as "any time I got to see his face". There are too many stories to tell about "the way he would make Robin laugh, then we would all end up cracking up". He enjoyed building model cars, then would get tired of them and fill them with firecrackers and gasoline and burn them on the driveway.
Ken was a loving son, husband, father, and friend who always found joy and happiness in life. He will truly be missed.
Ken is survived by his loving children; Aaron Morgan (Deanna) Nash, Brett Nolan (Krystle) Nash, and Cody Shannon (fiancé Russ Brewer) Nash; grandchildren, Nolan Nash, Roxanne Nash, and Russell Brewer; mother, Mae Rose (née Gregorash) Nash; siblings, Debbie Nash Smith, Jan (Dale) Blachford, Bill (Susan) Nash, and Cheryl (Rusty) Schelling; brother-in-law, Kevin Ford; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; special friends, Tony and Toni Muscatello, as well as countless friendships of colleagues and students from various universities and laboratories throughout his career.
Ken was preceded in death by his loving wife of 21 years, Robin Reneé (née Ford) Nash (Oct. 24, 2007); father, Ralph L. Nash; mother and father- in-law, Emmett R. and JoAnne (née Pettinato) Ford; grandparents, Anton and Anna (née Tomac) Gregorash and Ralph C. and Viola (née Rice) Nash.
A visitation will be held on November 28, 2025, between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at Blackburn Giegerich Sonntag Funeral Home, 1500 Black Road, Joliet. A Celebration of Life will follow at 11:30 a.m.
Ken will be laid to rest beside his dear wife, Robin, in Woodlawn Memorial Park – 23060 West Jefferson Street – Joliet, IL 60431.
Relatives and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest book by logging onto: www.PleseFuneralservices.com.
Funeral services and arrangements have been made under the genuine care and direction of Kenneth A. Plese, in Joliet, IL 815-735-2125.