Clyde Kimball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Professor Clyde Kimball, 87, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on June 3, 2015 in Corvallis, Oregon, where he had retired with his wife and partner, Joan Truckenbrod.
The joyful memories of intellectual pursuits, artistic endeavors and creative explorations sustains the community of many people touched by Clyde Kimball.
He touched so many people with his support, generosity, and mentoring, supporting colleagues with funding, encouragement and confidence in their ideas and projects.
His passion for NIU faculty and students, as well as his own research, radiated throughout the community.
Clyde had a distinguished career in scientific research and education at Argonne National Laboratory and Northern Illinois University.
As Distinguished Research Professor at NIU, he developed the Institute for Nanoscience Engineering and Technology, for which he served as Executive Director. In conjunction with this Institute, he established a series of Graduate Student scholarships and Post Doctoral positions.
He was also Science and Technology Advisor to the President of NIU.
At Argonne National Laboratory, he served as a consultant in the Materials Science Division.
He also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors for CARS, the Consortium for Advanced Radiation Sources. This is an interdisciplinary, multi-institution team that manages the operations of the CARS beam lines at the APS, Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory.
He spent a year in Washington D.C. as a Program Director for the Material Research Division.
As one of the highest funded researchers at NIU, he received continual funding for research from NSF and DARPA/ONR.
Professor Kimball pursued research using Mossbauer Spectroscopy to study high temperature oxide superconductors. He also studied thin film materials and then pursued the study of nano-materials within the Institute he developed.
Professor Kimball received his P.h.D. at St. Louis University in Physics and Mathematics. His MS and BS degrees were in Engineering Physics, both from Michigan College of Mining and Technology in Houghton.
He was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Laurium, spending the early part of his life there with his family.
His time in the Army/ Airforce was spent at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.
Clyde Kimball is survived by his wife and partner, Joan Truckenbrod, an artist and Professor Emeritus at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; his children, Emily Truckenbrod, Head of Vocal Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Karen Kimball, an Attorney in Wynantskill New York, and Paul Kimball, Head of the Science Program at Northeastern Iowa Community College; his brother, Paul Kimball; grandsons, Jeff Kimball-Spear, Will Kimball-Spear and Aidan Truckenbrod; and a number of very special nieces and nephews.
He is greatly treasured by a wide circle of friends and relatives.
For further information, you can read about Mr. Kimball on the Funeral Home website, mchenryfuneralhome.com