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Recognition of
Stephen E. Wiberley
by Samuel C. Wait, Jr.
June 30, 2002
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Steve, This is your Life!!
It is a pleasure to recognize Steve Wiberley who has served on the Board of Trustees
of the Dudley Observatory for over 30 years, both as Delegate representing Rensselaer's
Presidents and as a Trustee in his own right.
Steve received a Bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1941 and a Master's in
1948 and a Doctorate in 1950 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Analytical
Chemistry. He worked with Congoleum Nairn, Inc. from 1941 to 1944. He was in the U.S. Army
from 1944 to 1946 and worked on the Manhattan Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. After a
year with General Electric in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he an instructor at RPI in 1946,
Following an interval as a Research Associate from 1948 to 1950, he joined the
faculty of the Chemistry Department at RPI, a position he continues to hold as Professor
Emeritus. What is remarkable about Steve is his versatility. He has held nearly every
academic administrative position from Dean of the Graduate School, Vice Provost for
Graduate Programs and Research, and Chair of the Chemistry Department. But this tells only
part of the story! During this period he was acting Provost and, during George Low's
(President of RPI) illness, Steve was de facto President. His accomplishments as a chemist
and administrator were outstanding.
Steve was and is the driving force between the Chapel and Cultural Center in Troy.
Through his efforts the concept was brought to reality, and he spearheaded the fund
raising effort that led to the facility paid for in full. Steve and his late wife, Betty,
were pillars of the community.
As a Trustee of Dudley, Steve has been known for his wise counsel, sense of humor,
and devotion to promoting the affairs of the Observatory. He saw the tumultuous space age
and the Hemenway years, the lack of funding that caused the research programs to be
abandoned, several moves, and changes that resulted in Dudley's programs evolving to their
present style.
Steve did good and bad things at RPI. As examples of the latter, he was a member of
my doctoral committee and was the one responsible for getting me involved with Dudley as
well as my administrative position at RPI. As one example of the former, his vision in the
late 1950's led to the building of the Interdisciplinary Materials Research Center with
funding from NASA. This was the precursor to the massive interdisciplinary research
efforts being undertaken worldwide.
Steve, I look forward to working with you for many more years, both at Rensselaer
and at Dudley Observatory. Thank you for all you have done.
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Dr. Stephen E.
Wiberley
Obituary published in the Albany Times Union from 3/19/2007 -
3/20/2007
Dr. Stephen E. Wiberley, 87, of The Terrace at Hawthorne Ridge, East
Greenbush, N.Y., died Saturday, March 17, 2007 at Samaritan Hospital.
Born in Troy, he was the son of the late Irving C. and Ruth Stanley
Wiberley. He was a 1941 graduate of Williams College and earned his
M.S. in 1948 and Ph.D. in 1950 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
During World War II, he served in the United States Army and worked on
the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Dr. Wiberley spent his
entire career at Rensselaer, retiring as professor emeritus in 1989.
He taught a wide range of courses, and conducted important research in
a number of areas, including extraction of oil from oil shale and
extraction of useful materials from hazardous silicone waste. He was
appointed dean of the graduate school in 1964 and vice provost in
1969. He served in those positions until 1979. He was chairman of the
Chemistry Department from 1983 to 1988. For many years, he led an
interdisciplinary program in materials research that was funded by the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration and led to the
construction of Rensselaer's Materials Research Center. He was among
the leaders in efforts to build the Richard G. Folsom Library, and
served as acting librarian in 1970 and 1971. He was the co-author of
two books, Instrumental Analysis (1954) with John Harley, Introduction
to Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy (1964, 1975, 1990) with Norman W.
Colthrup, and Lawrence J. Daly. He also wrote his memoirs, No Ivory
Tower, in 2005. For many years, Dr. Wiberley and his wife Betty,
served on the board of trustees of the Rensselaer Newman Foundation.
He chaired the committee that guided the construction of the Chapel
and Cultural Center and worked closely with the late Rev. Thomas
Phelan to bring this significant religious and cultural resource to
the Rensselaer community. Steve had a remarkable ability to engage
people. He delighted all he met with an inexhaustible supply of
humorous stories and a signature laugh. He was a devoted husband,
loving father, wise mentor, and true gentleman, who will be deeply
missed by all who had the privilege to live, work, love, and laugh
with him. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Elizabeth Bartle. He is
survived by his son, Stephen (Jean); and daughter, Sharon (Patrick);
his grandchildren, Amy Wiberley, Patrick Valiquette and Stephen
Valiquette; his brothers, James and J. Albert; and sister, Jayne
Morris; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be
on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m., from the Doran Funeral Home, 9 S. Lake
Avenue, thence at 10 a.m. in the Christ Sun of Justice, RPI Chapel,
2125 Burdett Avenue, Troy. Burial in St. Agnes Cemetery. Calling hours
in the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers,
the family asks that friends send donations to the Rensselaer Newman
Foundation, in care of the Chaplain's Office, The Student Union, Room
3514, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY
12180 or a charity of their choice.
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