death

Longtime Fermilab employee Alan Long passed away on May 19, 2023. One of his roles at the lab was in the stockroom. Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 27, from 1-2 p.m. at Daleiden Mortuary, 220 North Lake Street in Aurora, and funeral services follow at 2 p.m. Read his obituary.

Charles “Chuck” Morrison, passed away on April 22, 2023. He celebrated 25 years of service at the lab on April 20, 2023. Chuck spent his entire career in Fermilab’s Security Department, where he served as the operations supervisor for the subcontract service. Chuck also served as the lab’s aviation safety officer. He obtained his UAS Part 107 drone pilot license, and he was instrumental in establishing the drone program for the Security Department. Chuck was heavily involved in special events,…

It’s with great sadness that we announce that our cherished friend and colleague, Tom Lassiter, passed away on March 24, 2023, after a long illness. He retired from Fermilab in 2019 after 38 years of service and left us with many fond memories. Tom spent most of his career in Accelerator Division’s Mechanical Support Department, where he installed magnets in the Main Ring and became an expert at vacuum pump repair. Beyond his technical skills, Tom will be remembered by…

Elaine Phillips passed away on March 24, 2023. Elaine had an accomplished career at the laboratory. She served as a division services manager and took the administrative staff to the next level with many benefiting from her creative visions and kindness through the years. Born in Brazil and fluent in five languages, Elaine’s diverse and well-rounded approach was a huge asset, which is missed by many. She retired in 2015 and moved back to Alabama with her husband to care for…

Last week, about 200 physicists worldwide celebrated in a symposium at Fermilab the life and accomplishments of our friend and colleague Professor Meenakshi Narain from Brown University, who passed away on Jan. 1, 2023. Meena, as many of us knew her for many years, was an inspirational leader and champion of diversity. She was a renowned experimental particle physicist and considered by many as a “force of nature.” Her impact on the physics community has left an indelible mark –…

Fermilab employee, colleague and friend David Cathey passed away on Feb. 25, 2023. David graduated with a Master of Science in occupational safety from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1982. He then joined Fermilab on March 1, 1983. David began his career at Fermilab in what was known as the Safety Section at the time. It was 40 years ago and well before many of the safety standards that we follow today. He was very much involved in structuring the safety…

George M. Simon, retired 15-foot Bubble Chamber technician, passed away on Feb. 21, just hours short of his 101st birthday. He is remembered as a vacuum technician who always carried a 6-inch crescent wrench.  Ron Davis recalls that at the age of 50-plus, George Simon could kick the top of a door frame and not fall down. At his previous job, George worked on vacuum chambers used to test parts of the Apollo space program.   In retirement, he enjoyed, travel,…

Retiree Peter W. Lucas, a long-time employee, passed away on Feb. 11 at the age of 80. With the lab for almost 30 years, he loved his time at Fermilab. During his career, among other accomplishments, he worked on the NuMI experiment. His family will hold a public service for him at 11 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, at Yurs Funeral Home, 405 E. Main Street, Saint Charles, Illinois. Burial will follow. Friends and former colleagues of Peter are welcome to attend.

Meenakshi Narain, a physicist par excellence, inspirational leader and champion of diversity, died unexpectedly on Jan 1, 2023, in Providence, Rhode Island. She is mourned by her husband Ulrich Heintz, her sons Aneesh and Anand, a close-knit extended family, and numerous friends and colleagues worldwide. A renowned experimental particle physicist and considered by many as a force of nature, Meenakshi’s impact on the physics community has left an indelible mark — on the science that she was passionate about and…

Fermilab employee Lewis Victor Ecker passed away on Nov. 18, 2022, at age 65. He worked at the laboratory as a welder and contractor for many years. Since January 2021, he had been employed as a technician at the laboratory. A memorial for his family and friends will be held in the spring or summer. More information is available in this obituary.