Flory J. Tamanini

TAMANINI FLORY J. TAMANINI (Age 91) Passed away peacefully at his residence in Alexandria, VA. He lived in Alexandria from 1941 to 2010. Mr. Tamanini "Tam" was born in Mount Carmel, PA on July 29, 1918 to Angelo and Adriana Tamanini, originally of Northern Italy, who emigrated to the United States early in the 20th century. He was one of two in the graduating class of Mount Carmel High School to attend and graduate from universities due to the Great Depression. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1941 and later a Masters of Science in Civil Engineering at the Catholic University of America in 1952. He married Mary Ricker in 1941 at St. Mary''s Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA. He was widowed in 1991. Mr. Tamanini''s career began at Fort Belvoir in 1941. He was immediately placed in charge of the design of U.S. modern military bridges in order to compete with German bridge technology at the time. His work entailed Bridge and Structural Research and Development for U.S. Army Engineering. Before his work on military bridtges, the U.S. bridges were of Civil War vintage. He became the Branch Chief at the U.S. Army Research and Development Laboratory which designed specific military assault bridges for the U.S. Army in WWIi, the Korean War and for use by NATO Countries. He then became the Branch Chief at the Pentagon for the DoD Office of Civil Defense with entailed professional development and research of nuclear protective construction beginning in 1966. He was involved in conducting training and education programs for engineering professors at colleges and universities on methods for protection against nuclear weapons effects such as blast and fallout. He developed numerous Summer Institute programs to acquaint professors with these techniques so that they would be able to teach their students such protective measures in the design of buildings and other facilities. In 1971, Mr. Tamanini transferred from DoD to the Department of Transportation''s Federal Highway Administration, serving as the Deputy Chief of Structures and Applied Mechanics Division and very soon after was promoted as the Division Chief at the Senior Executive Service leval at the Fairbank Research Station locathed in Langley, VA. This divison was responsible for research and development of all highway safety appurtenances. He authored many technical articles on military bridges and crash cushions for the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of American Military Engineering, Public Roads, the Institute of Traffic Engineering, the Public Works (United Kingdom) and several state publications for the design of Fail Safe Highway Structures also known as impact attenuators. These structures served as highway structures meant to absorb the impact of vehicles going out of control and crashing into roadside structures, therefore becoming the victims of the collision instead of the automobile or its passengers, saving them from certain death. After many years in this position, he retired from the Federal Government after thirty-four years. He soon joined Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., as an executive consultant for seventeen years. His work entailed enlightening U.S. governors'' offices and NATO countries of the latest technology available for highway safety. One such meeting was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, meeting with the country''s senior highway officials in 1980. Another meeting was given in Quebec, Canada at the world famous Hotel Frontenac. Mr. Tamanini was a member of the following technical associations and societies - International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, VA. Society of Professional Engineers, Chi Epsilon Honorary Civil Engineering Fraternity, and the Society of American Military Engineers. He received several Outstanding Service Awards from the Federal Highway Administration, the VA Society of Professional Engineers, the Engineer of the Year in 1972, and the National State of the Art Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers for a paper entitled, "Designing Fail Safe Structures for Highway Safety". Mr. Tamanini was a world traveler and spoke several languages. He was also a long time student of world history and ancient civilizations. In 1970, he retired as an Army Reserve LTC after 21 years of dedicated service. Mr. Tamanini is survived by two children, Elaine Tamanini and Jerry Tamanini. A third child, Ann Elizabeth Tamanini, died 24 hours after birth. He is also survived by many relatives includeing a sister-in-law; brother-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A viewing will be held at the EVERLY WHEATLEY FUNERAL HOME, 1500 W. Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., on Thursday, January 14, 2010. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph''s Catholic Church, 711 N. Columbus St., Alexandria, VA at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 15, 2010. Burial will be at the St. Mary''s Cemetery on Washington Street following the Mass. Contriubtions may be made to the Washington Regional Transplant Consortium.