Elsie Ross Butler
Elsie Ross Butler, a former employee with the UI's Cooperative Extension Service, died July 4 at The Carle Arbours, Savoy. She was 90.
Butler attended Illinois Wesleyan University, and graduated from the UI in 1929 with a bachelor's degree in home economics.
She served for 24 years with the UI's Cooperative Extension Service. She also was a 4-H club specialist for 12 years and later a research assistant for the Small Homes Council. She also taught home economics at Kewanee High School and at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange.
Survivors include four nephews and two nieces.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Urbana.
Patricia R. Due
Patricia R. Due, a retired secretary from the UI, died June 28 at her Champaign home. She was 65.
Due retired from the UI's department of physiology and biophysics (now the department of molecular and integrative physiology) in July 1994, but continued to work part time for the department until December 1996.
She served in the Women's Army Corps during the Korean War.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Charlie Due Memorial Scholarship Fund at Champaign Central High School, in care of First of America Bank, Champaign, or to St. Matthew Church and School, Champaign.
She is survived by two sons, three daughters, 11 grandchildren, a brother and a sister.
John E. Osterbur
John E. Osterbur, a former UI employee, died July 20 at Carle Foundation Hospital. He was 68.
Osterbur graduated from the Commercial College of Champaign. He was employed at the UI for 32 years as an operating engineer in the department of operation and maintenance. He also owned and operated the St. Joseph Landscaping Service and sold real estate. He was a member of Local 841 of Operation Engineers.
He was a veteran of the Korean War and was a member of American Legion Post 634 in St. Joseph.
He is survived by his wife, Alfrieda; two daughters; four grandchildren; a brother; and three sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, St. Joseph, or to an organization of the donor's choice.
Marsha J. Penrose
Marsha J. Penrose, a secretary for the UI College of Medicine Clinical Education Center at Covenant Medical Center, Urbana, died July 5 at her Urbana home. She was 44.
Penrose received a bachelor of arts degree in the Board of Governors program from Eastern Illinois University. She attended Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, from 1970 to 1973.
Previously, Penrose was a secretary for Conferences and Institutes and the Digital Computer Laboratory at the UI.
Surviving are her mother, two daughters and a brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Covenant Hospice Care Program or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 370, Dallas, Texas, 75240.
Howard Shirley
Howard Shirley, a former UI firefighter, died July 2 at Covenant Medical Center, Urbana. He was 84.
Shirley worked for the UI Fire Department for 11 years and retired in November 1974 as a lieutenant from the Champaign Fire Department. He also owned and operated Shirley's Catering Service for 30 years. He served as president, secretary and treasurer of the Champaign Municipal Employee's Credit Union. He also operated Shirley's Landscaping Service for 20 years.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a daughter; a son; one sister; six grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to an organization of the donor's choice.
Gregorio Weber
Gregorio Weber, an emeritus professor of biochemistry and biophysics, died July 18 at his Urbana home. He was 81.
A native of Argentina, Weber received a medical degree at Buenos Aires University. A British Council Fellowship supported his graduate studies at Cambridge University, where he also received his doctorate in 1947.
Weber went on to become an independent researcher at Cambridge, then joined the biochemistry department at Sheffield University. In 1962, he joined the UI faculty.
Weber earned worldwide acclaim for pioneering the use of fluorescent spectroscopy in biochemistry. The technique measures the emission of light from a substance to determine the structure and movement of molecules. Weber was the first to apply it to the study of biochemistry and cell function, using it to label proteins, nucleic acids and other important cell components.
Weber received numerous awards honoring his scientific achievements. Among these achievements were election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, election as a corresponding member to the National Academy of Exact Sciences of Argentina, the first national lecturer of the Biophysical Society, and the Rumford Premium of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He became a professor emeritus at the UI in 1986.
Surviving are three daughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the UIF/Gregorio Weber Biochemistry Fund, Harker Hall.
Frank E.L. Witt
Frank E.L. Witt, a former UI faculty member, died July 24 at his Champaign home. He was 75.
Witt was a physicist and research laboratory technical supervisor at the UI from 1950 to 1986. He was also an inventor and innovator in the field of machine tool design and fabrication. He developed plumbing and laboratory equipment under the trademark names Witseal and Witbilt.
Witt attended the University of Pittsburgh and Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Surviving are his wife, Virginia; four sons; three daughters; two brothers; and 16 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Brethren, Champaign.
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