Linneaus C. Dorman

Linneaus C. Dorman
Linneaus Cuthbert Dorman, 90, the first African-American chemist hired to work at Dow Chemical Company headquarters, passed away peacefully Oct. 10, 2025. He was a 64-year resident of Midland, most recently at Brittany Manor of Midland.
Dr. Dorman was born June 28, 1935, in Orangeburg, SC, to John Albert and Georgia Anna Hammond Dorman. He was named after the doctor, and not the Swedish scientist Linnaeus, who helped bring him into the world. The fifth of five children, Mr. Dorman joined siblings, John Albert, Jessye, twins James Walter LeBrone and LaVerne. Inspired by his school teacher parents, Mr. Dorman was encouraged to pursue an education beyond all means in the segregated South. With a name like Linneaus perhaps he was destined to become a scientist, but it was ultimately a neighbor's chemistry set that piqued his curiosity to specialise in the field.
"... I became fascinated with the fact that you could put two things together and make something entirely new" he told an interviewer for the HistoryMakers, a compendium of celebrated African-American historical figures. Dr. Dorman is included in the collection as a "ScienceMaker," along with other chemists, engineers, physicists and science educators.
"So that was my first introduction to chemistry, and I've been associated with the field ever since," he said. Dr. Dorman's academic achievements attracted attention when he attended Wilkinson High School in 1948. While there, he was recognized and encouraged to pursue chemistry.
Dr. Dorman earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University in Peoria, IL in 1956 and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Indiana University under a Dow Chemical Fellowship in 1961. Dr. Dorman had been spending his summers as a chemist back in a laboratory at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Peoria, gaining on the job experience that helped him become attracted to Dow later on. While at Bradley University, he met Phae Hubble on a blind date and married her in 1958. Children, Evelyn and John, were born in 1959 and 1961 respectively.
Dr. Dorman began working for Dow the same year he completed his doctorate and specialized in biomaterial and pharmaceutical products. Later in his career at Dow, he focused on elastic materials such as rubber.
Dr. Dorman joined the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1957 and served in a number of administrative positions. He has been credited with over 30 inventions and patents in organic chemistry and biomaterials. Dr. Dorman has also been a community leader and was active in numerous professional and civic activities, including the Saginaw Valley State University Board of Fellows of which he was president from 1983-1985. With his wife, Phae, they established two scholarship funds in 1997 to recognize and honor the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.
Dr. Dorman has also been the recipient of several awards including Inventor of the Year by Dow Chemical Company in 1983, and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers' most prestigious award, the Percy C. Julian Award in 1992. He is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and founder of the Midland and Saginaw chapter.
Dr. Dorman retired from Dow in 1994 as a senior associate scientist and served the Midland civic and scientific community at large as a mentor and supporter of education through various scholarship funds. He and his wife have spearheaded many mentoring opportunities to attract other African-American scientists and professionals to Midland. Consequently, Dr. Dorman also served as a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Midland Jaycees, Rotary, Midland Black Coalition, Midland Commission on Community Relations and Midland Area Community Foundation. Dr. Dorman was one of the longest-term members of the United Church of Christ of Midland until his death. In 2021, Mr. Dorman was named the Midland Foundation Philanthropist of the year.
For his lifetime of scientific achievement, has been included in numerous volumes of Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in the Midwest and Who's Who in the World. In addition, Dr. Dorman has been featured on the Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievers website.
Mr. Dorman is preceded in death by his parents and mother-in-law, Ernestine I. Hubble; his wife, Phae L. Hubble; his brothers and sisters-in-law: John A. Dorman (Zella), LaVerne Holmes (William), James Walter LeBrone ,Dorman (Hattie), Frank Hubble (Lucille), Bettye Calloway (Donald), Trayce Hubble; and daughter-in-law Teresa (Clark) Dorman.
He is survived by his sister, Jessye Walker; and children, Evelyn S. Dorman and John A. Dorman III; nieces, Melanie Anderson, Donetta Dominick (Jerome), Theresa Tatum, Lydia Dorman, Lynda Dorman, Yvonne R. Walker, Sia Walker; and nephews, Glenn A. Dorman (Renata), Shomarka Keita MD (Caroline), Marlon Walker, James Lawrence Dorman (Uzma), Lynwood Holmes, Steve Calloway (Iris), David Tony Calloway (Karen); many grand -nieces and nephews, cousins and three grandchildren, four great-great-children, and one great-great-great-grandchild.
Visitation will be held Friday Nov. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Ware-Smith Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 W. Wheeler St. Funeral services begin Sat., Nov. 15th at the United Church of Christ, 4100 Chestnut Hill Drive, Midland, with visitation at 10 a.m. followed by the Omega Memorial Service at 10:30 am. Church service begins at 11 a.m. and concludes with a luncheon.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the United Church of Christ, the Dorman Family Midland Believes Scholarship Fund, the Linneaus C. Dorman Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Martin Luther KIng, the Phae H. Dorman Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Rosa Parks.