Cecil Dam

CECIL FREDERICK DAM

Mount Vernon

Cecil "Cy" Frederick Dam was born June 30, 1923, in Kalamazoo, Mich., the second of four sons born to John and Mary Dam. He passed away Oct. 7, 2015, and was 92.

He attended Kalamazoo College and was freshman

class president until he left college to enter the service during World War ll. He was stationed in Hawaii and Guam and was discharged in 1946 as a captain in the Army Air Force, where he served 3½ years in the Pacific as a meteorologist.

In 1946, Cy re-entered Kalamazoo College and graduated in 1948 with a degree in physics and mathematics. He met his future wife, Marilee Thorpe, in music theory class. Cy left Kalamazoo College after graduation to attend Cornell University, where he received a master's degree in physics. He and Marilee married in 1950. Cy received a doctorate in physics at Ohio State University.

Cy taught physics at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, for 26 years where he also was chairman of the physics department for many years. In 1959 and 1960, Cy directed the National Sciences Foundation conferences. He also worked at Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories during sabbaticals.

During his professional career, Cy was the Barton S. Pauley Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Physics and the W.F. Johnson Professor of Physics from 1958 to 1984. He was a member of the Optical Society of America, American Physical Society, American Association of Physics Teachers, American Meteorological Society, History of Science Society, Society for the History of Technology and the Double Reed Society.

After retiring, Cy and Marilee moved to Ocala, Fla., in 1985 and joined First Methodist Church of Ocala. Cy played oboe for 10 years in the Gainesville Community Band and the Central Florida Symphony.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marilee Thorpe Dam; son, Tim (Karen) of Walnut Creek, Calif.; daughter, Cindy of Gowrie, Iowa; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his brother, Dick (Lois).

Cy was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Dam; two brothers, John (Maxine) and Harry (Frances); and son-in-law, Kevin Twistleton.

A memorial service will be at a later date at First Methodist Church of Ocala, Fla.

Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011; Hospice of Marion County, 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474; or Florida United Methodist Children's Home, 51 Main S., Enterprise, FL 32725.