William S. Aiken Sr.

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. William S. Aiken Sr., 81, died on April 1, 2004, a victim of Parkinson's disease. He died peacefully at home with his family around him. Known as Bill to his many friends and colleagues, he completed 23 years of service to RID (Remove Intoxicated Drivers) as vice president and general manager for which he was cited by President Bush in 1989. A graduate of Yale and MIT, he worked for Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge as director of engineering, installing the world's first automatically controlled closed-loop cat-cracking process at the Texaco plant in Port Arthur, Texas, by pushing a few computer buttons. This process (still working 45 years later) became the cover story for Business Week magazine's April 4, 1959 edition, and in Chemical Engineering, October 19, 1959 edition. Similar projects were installed in Japanese cement plants and other material processing corporations in France, Italy and Holland. Retiring from a decade as V.P. and project manager for his company Logic World in Schenectady, he developed a computer-assisted program to report instant election returns to WYNT-TV, used by other media to report election results. Bill wrote the first DWI citizen action manual titled How Can I Help, the first computerized data base file of drunk driving victims, the judicial outcome of DWI prosecution and sentencing and other hitherto difficult information to access. Bill was an accomplished sailor and award winning glider pilot, enjoyed singing in informal groups and is an alumni of the Yale Glee Club. A native of New Orleans, he excelled in making (and teaching others to make) spicy gumbos, Cajun recipes and Italian bread. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Doris; a brother, David Aiken MD in New Orleans; three children, Jane, William and Raya Aiken Buckley; a grandson, John Buckley and son-in-law, Thomas Buckley Jr.; as well as many nieces and nephews. Our family wishes to thank Community Hospice for outstanding help in getting us through these hard times, especially Joyce Baker and Karen Horton, who provided devoted care for Bill during his last days. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. at the Unitarian Society, 1220 Wendell Avenue in Schenectady. Memorial contributions can be made to RID-USA, P.O. Box 520, Schenectady 12301 and/or to Community Hospice, 1411 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308.