Dr. Leon Shechter

SUMMIT — A memorial service will be held Sunday, August 30, for Dr. Leon Shechter, of Summit, who died on August 16, 2009, at age 96. He was the husband of Sarah Sharpe Shechter, and a son of Minnie (Averbuck) and Benjamin Shechter.
 
Born in New York, Dr. Shechter grew up in Swansea, South Carolina. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of South Carolina, graduating with his M.S. in Physical Chemistry in 1933. He received his Ph.D in Organic Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati in 1937. He began his professional career with the Bakelite Corporation in 1937, which was later acquired by Union Carbide Corporation. He retired in 1977 as Vice President, Chemicals and Plastics Operations Division.
 
An endowment to the University of South Carolina will begin the Shechter Fellowship, which will provide funding for collaborative research between the Chemistry and Chemical engineering departments.
 
He was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Sarah Sharpe Shechter, a brother, Harold Shechter of Ohio and his parents. He leaves three sisters-in-law, Margaret Sharpe of Swansea, Kathryn Sharpe of Ft. Mills and Charlotte Shechter of Columbus, Ohio; numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.
 
The memorial service will be held in his hometown of Swansea, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 30, at 3:00 p.m. at the Swansea First Baptist Church.