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In Memoriam - Fall 2021

  • Olin Russel Campbell, Jr.

    86, of Philippi, West Virginia, passed away on February 22, 2021. Campbell graduated from the Statler College in 1956. He worked as a mechanical engineer for Sperry Gyroscope Company in Long Island, New York, for 39 years before returning to West Virginia, where he began a second career as owner of The Office Store. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, his daughters, Rhonda and Carla, his son, Ross, and four grandchildren.
  • William Conley

    78, of Morgantown, West Virginia, passed away on May 21, 2021. Conley is a 1969 graduate of the Statler College and veteran of the US Army. He is survived by his wife, Pamela, his son, Sean, and his two grandsons.
  • Chris deLong

    66, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passed away on March 31, 2021. A graduate of WVU, deLong received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1976 and later received his master’s degree. He worked for the defense industry his entire career, designing hardware and software for the military and was a nationally recognized expert in Mil-STD 1553. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Payne deLong, and daughters Kelly and Krista Delong.
  • Mike Klishis

    Mike Klishis

    78, of Morgantown, West Virginia, passed away on April 22, 2021. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Klishis received both his master’s and PhD in psychology from WVU. His passion for teaching led him to work for the Statler College’s Mining Extension Service before becoming a professor for the Department of Safety Studies until his retirement in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Lesley, his daughter, Michelle, his son, Brian, and several grandchildren.
  • O. Perry Morgan

    92, of Fairmont, West Virginia, passed away on June 9, 2021. Morgan received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering form WVU and then attended Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island and served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict. He then worked as a civil engineer for the West Virginia Department of Highways for over 25 years. Morgan is survived by his four children David, Sandra, Perry, Robert, and 12 grandchildren.
  • Ganesh Rajagopalan

    68, of Uttiramerur, Tamil Nadu, India, passed away on March 19, 2021. A highly regarded researcher in the field of aerospace engineering, Rajagopalan received his PhD in aerospace engineering from WVU in 1984. He was also a lecturer, teaching fellow and research assistant in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the Statler College. In 2017, Rajagopalan received the prestigious NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal. He is survived by his wife, Rs Nappinnai, his daughter, Pavithra, and many extended family members.
  • Felicia Peng

    Felicia F. Peng

    83, of Morgantown, West Virginia, passed away on June 10, 2021. A native of Taiwan, where she spent most of her childhood, Peng studied at the Taipei Technical Junior College, Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in applied chemistry and at later received a degree in engineering from Stanford University in California. She completed her PhD at WVU in 1989 while a faculty member of mineral processing engineering. Peng had an unwavering passion for teaching in coal preparationrelated subjects and interacting with students both in and outside the classroom. She is survived by her husband, Syd, two sons, Stanford and Wildon, and three grandchildren, Avery, Charlotte and Clara.
  • Robert Wotring

    Robert Wotring

    84, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away on February 12, 2021. Bob was born in Rowlesburg, West Virginia, and attended Kingwood High School. Following graduation from WVU he joined Exxon at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Refinery and Chemical Plant. Bob held various positions in Exxon including being appointed as president of Al Jubail Petrochemical Company in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia and in 1990 was appointed to the dual position of president of Exxon Chemical’s Japanese Affiliate in Tokyo, Japan, and general manager of Exxon Chemical’s Asia Pacific Polymer business. In 1994, he returned to the U.S. to serve as president of Paxon Polymer Company, formerly a joint venture between Allied Signal and Exxon Chemical until his retirement. Wotring is survived by his wife, Billye, four children, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Bob was a member of the WVU Academy of Chemical Engineers.
  • J. Peale Davidson

    84, of Fairmont, West Virginia, passed away on August 24, 2021. A highly regarded researcher in the field of electrical engineering, Davidson received degrees in both electrical engineering and business administration from WVU. After serving in the United States Army, he began his career at Monongahela Power Company before retiring after 38 years of dedicated service. He was a registered professional engineer and served on the City of Fairmont Sanitary Sewer Board. He was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the West Virginia Society of Professional Engineers and the Kiwanis Club of Fairmont. He is survived by his wife, Ginny Davidson; his daughters Dianne Davidson and Kerry Story, his son Jim Davidson and many extended family members.