Samuel MacDowell

MacDowell, Samuel
Samuel Wallace MacDowell, 91, of 18 Carriage Dr., Woodbridge, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 30, 2020 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a long illness. He was born in Camaragibe, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, on March 24, 1929, son of Samuel Wallace MacDowell Filho and Maria Anita Amazonas. He was the husband of the late and lovely Myriam Ramos da Silva MacDowell, father of Ana Myriam MacDowell, Maria Dolores MacDowell, Samuel Wallace MacDowell, Jr. — deceased in 2015 — and grandfather of Nicole Ann MacDowell and Ami Cristina MacDowell. Samuel leaves behind sisters, Dolores, Maria Anita, Maria de Lourdes, Maria Cecília and a brother, Padre João Augusto Anchieta, member of the Jesuit order. Samuel was predeceased by siblings, Maria Antônia, Joaquim, Maria de Nazareth, Antônio Maria and Maria Elizabeth. He was loved and admired by the numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws of his very large family, most of whom live in Brazil. Samuel worshipped at the St. Thomas More Chapel in New Haven for 50 years, where he was a co-founder of their soup kitchen. A philanthropist, he made donations to approximately 70 charities a year, most recently, donating a generous amount for the badly needed renovation of the YWCA Pre-school and Day Care Center in Recife, Pernambuco in honor of his mother. Professionally, Samuel W. MacDowell was a Doctor of Theoretical Physics, whose studies initiated at The Federal University of Pernambuco, followed by The Brazilian Center for Research in Physics of Rio de Janeiro, where he learned from the great scientific minds of that generation, and on to Birmingham University, Princeton University, and back to Brazil, where, not long after, he was approached in person by Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, who invited him to join the researchers at The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, of which Dr. Oppenheimer was Director at the time. After two years at The Institute, Samuel accepted a position at Yale University, arriving in New Haven with his family in 1965. As a physicist, Professor MacDowell's colleagues have described him as being an expert in particle and gravitation physics, known for his groundbreaking work in theories of supergravity and supersymmetry. Samuel MacDowell rose to international prominence because of his contributions to theoretical physics, and his invention of what is known as "MacDowell Symmetry." In 1998, he was inducted into the National Order of Scientific Merit, the Brazilian government's highest distinction in the field of science. As a person, his colleagues have described him with words, such as, 'gentleman', 'civil', 'cultured'. In a December 2 post by the Department of Physics, Dr. R. Shankar, J.W. Gibbs Professor of Physics, and a good friend of Samuel's for over 40 years, shares his thoughts: "Sam... was a lovable, absent-minded colleague with a perpetual smile and no capacity for guile." As a father and grandfather... kind, generous, loyal, loving... a man of character, decency, values, a glowing example to be followed. Samuel MacDowell had a brilliant mind and a heart of gold. Really, there are no words. He will be sorely missed. But his humor, his grin, his friendship, his life, will continue to live on in all who knew him, forever. Friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday morning, Dec. 10th at 10:00 in St. Thomas More Chapel, 268 Park St., New Haven. Live streaming will also be available for those who wish to attend from home. The family would like to express gratitude to The Whitney Rehabilitation Care Center for their dedication and thoughtfulness, and for seeing Samuel through times of Covid and beyond. If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Thomas More Soup Kitchen, 268 Park St., New Haven, CT 06511. The Havens Family, North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue has been entrusted with the arrangements.www.northhavenfuneral.com