DONALD J. SILVERSMITH

SILVERSMITH DONALD J. SILVERSMITH (Age 71) Donald Jack Silversmith, 71, of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Durham, North Carolina, died on April 17, 2014 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was born to the late Fred and Elsa Silversmith on October 12, 1942, in Malden, Massachusetts. Donald graduated from Malden High School in 1960 and received a BS in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964, followed by an MS in Physics from the University of Florida in 1966 and a PhD in Metallurgy and Materials Science from MIT in 1969. After graduation, he started his career on the staff of AT&T Bell Labs. Subsequently he was employed as a researcher at North American Phillips and at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory. In 1979, he received an MBA from Western New England University. Later in his career, his positions included serving as a university- level grants officer at the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency; as a fellow at the State Department's Bureau of Nonproliferation and at its Office of Nuclear Affairs; and as a Program Manager at the Air Force's Office of Scientific Research. He also was a Professor at of Electrical Engineering at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan for more than 15 years, and served as the university's Associate Dean of Engineering between 1988 and 1996. Don had a wide range of interests, including travel, square dancing, and charitable, political, and environmental volunteering. He recently moved to Santa Fe and became involved with judging elementary school science fairs as well as devoting himself to learning Spanish. Donald is survived by his brother Peter Silversmith and sister-in-law Rose of McLean, VA; his sons and their spouses: Jol Silversmith and Elizabeth Kimmons of Alexandria, VA, Esther and Galen Brownsmith of Medford, Massachusetts; his ex-wife, Linda Silversmith of Rockville, MD; and his wife, Karen Cantor of Santa Fe, NM; and her children and their spouses: Ami Goldstein & Jim Hurley, Juli Goldstein & Mason Curry, and Brett Goldstein and Pam Gully along with their eight children who adored their Grandpa Don. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made out to organizations that support education in science for young people. Funeral Services will be conducted by Rabbi Tamara Miller at noon Sunday, April 20, 2014 at Zion Memorial Chapel, 767 E. Boston Post Road Mamaroneck, NY 10543. Following services, interment will take place at Sharon Gardens in Valhalla, NY. The family will sit shiva on Monday evening, April 21, 2014 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the home of Rose and Peter Silversmith. A memorial service will be held in Santa Fe later this spring.A memorial service will be held in Santa Fe later this spring.