Former Department Chair John E. Morral 1939 - 2020
Professor Emeritus John Eric Morral
Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, term began 2003
August 3, 1939 - December 21 2020
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering lost one of its own on December 21. Professor Emeritus and former Chair John Morral left a lasting impression on countless members of the department, students and college organization with his strong sense of leadership, penchant for science and contributions to the field of metallurgy.
We kindly remember his friendship, leadership, guidance, composure, and passion while mourning along with his wife, Dot, and children. The world bids farewell to a gentleman who was kind of heart, swift with pen and devoted to science.
credit: Peter Anderson
credit: Peter Anderson
Members of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering shared their fondness and condolences for Dr. Morral upon learning of his passing on December 21.
John was at once a scientific giant and a wonderful human being. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with his family at this most difficult time.Hamish L. FraserOhio Regents Eminent Scholar and Professor
I am really sorry to hear the news about Dr. Morral's passing. He was a fine man and a great scientist. My heartfelt sympathy to his family.Perena Gouma, Ph.D.Edward Orton, Jr., Chair of Ceramic Engineering
John was one of our most scientifically active emeriti and a great guy for insightful conversation. He will definitively be missed by us and the greater materials science community.Antonio J. RamirezProfessor, Welding Engineering
Sending heartfelt condolences to the Morral family. I have great memories of John’s profound reverence for his father, who lived a long and productive life.The world has lost not only a giant of metallurgy, but an uncrowned Poet Laureate!Mary C. Juhas, Ph.D., FASMAssociate Vice President, Ohio State ADVANCE and Clinical Professor of Materials Science & Engineering
Over the past 2-3 years, John and I used the same gym in Hilliard so I saw him quite frequently. He was always so pleasant and engaged. I have known no one in my professional career who was so devoted to phase diagrams. He would remind me on a regular basis how many phase diagrams are in my Stainless Steel textbook. I hope we can find a poet among the MSE faculty who can create an appropriate tribute for John.Professor Emeritus John Lippold
We are very sorry to hear the sad news on the passing of John. John was a great person, colleague, department chair, mentor, and scholar. We always enjoyed it when he recited his nice poems. We will certainly miss him. Our deepest condolences and sympathy to his family.W.S. Winston HoDistinguished Professor of Engineering
Many of us know him as the poet laureate of the department. I also remember a department talk in which he presented the thermodynamics – with countless partial derivatives of free energies – to construct multicomponent phase diagrams based on limited experimental data. Few in the department would tackle/present that subject in such a comprehensible way.
What really stood out for me was his approachable, engaging style. I remember going to his office and asking him if I was applying a thermodynamics concept correctly. I wasn’t. Instead of telling me I was wrong, he said something like, “Pete – I once thought that way as well, but it turned out I was wrong.”
John was not only a brilliant scientist, but the way in which he interacted with others made him really special.Peter AndersonProfessor and Former Department Chair
John was truly a metallurgist of the best of the old school, and a convivial companion with a delightfully wry sense of humor. He will be missed.William A. T. Clark, D. Phil., C. Eng., FASM
I had the honor of co-teaching our graduate level Thermodynamics class with him twice. It was an experience I continue to cherish. He was a great scientist, colleague and human being. He will be greatly missed. May his soul rest in peace.Professor Sheikh Akbar
Obituary
John Eric Morral, age 81, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, December 21, 2020. He was born in Kokomo, Indiana on August 3, 1939 to Rolf and Lillie Morral. He was also preceded in death by his sister Sandra Pinkham. John received his undergraduate and Master of Science degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from The Ohio State University, graduating in 1965. He completed his doctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving his Ph.D. in 1969. He joined the University of Connecticut in 1971 and became a full professor and chair of his department. Within a week of his retirement in 2003, he was recruited to be chair of OSU's Material Science and Engineering Department. He retired from OSU in 2012, becoming an emeritus professor. John continued his professional work as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion. John was the recipient of numerous awards for his many scientific contributions. He was named a Fellow of ASM International in 1995; named a Distinguished Alumnus of the OSU College of Engineering in 1995; elected a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering in 2003; honored with a TMS Honorary Symposium in 2004; received an American Competitiveness and Innovation Fellow Award, NSF Division of Materials Research in 2009; received a Distinguished Scientist/Engineer Award, TMS Division of Materials Processing and Manufacturing in 2012; and awarded the J. Willard Gibbs Phase Equilibria Award in 2017. A colleague wrote, "It is with great sadness that I have been made aware of the passing of dear John, a man of integrity, dedication, and with an accomplished scientific contribution to the materials field. John will be greatly missed in the scientific community." He was a man of many talents, including the little lyrics he liked to compose. A sample is the following:
Better than fun
In a great vacation.
Better than love
In a wild flirtation.
Better than peace
In a meditation.
Is science unveiled.
In a new notation
J.E. Morral 9/26/2016
John was a kind, generous man who was a great listener and was liked by everyone he met. He was a loving and cherished member of his family. He had many interests. He learned to play the violin in his forties and the ukulele in his eighties .He loved animals and had an active interest in gardening, cooking, theater, art, poetry, literature and sports, but his first love was definitely science. John will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 42 years Dorothy "Dot" Morral; children Peter (Bronwin) Morral, Ingrid Morral (Patrick Quesenberry), Kenneth Cammarato, and Cheryl (Jerry) Wolters; grandchildren Natalie and William Morral; siblings Frank (Linda) Morral, Ann (Matthew) Sandor, Harriet (Jim) Perkins; brother-in-law Galen Pinkham; and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice. Due to Covid19 a memorial service will be held in the summer of 2021. Please visit www.schoedinger.com to share memories and condolences. Funeral arrangements entrusted to SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST.
Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Schoedinger.com. https://www.schoedinger.com/obituaries/John-Morral/#!/Obituary. Accessed 12/29/20.
