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In Memoriam: Richard E. Grojean,
Dec 19, 2008
IN MEMORIAM: RICHARD E. GROJEAN, 1923-2008
Richard E. Grojean, a Professor Emeritus at Northeastern University, Boston, Mass., and an OSA Fellow, died on Friday, December 19, 2008 in Laconia, NH. He was 85.
Grojean was born in Washington Heights, New York City, on March 1, 1923, the son of Eugene and Elizabeth (Killkenny) Grojean. He lived in the Boston/Brighton/Brookline, Mass., area for several years and was a graduate of Brookline High School. In 1941, he entered Northeastern University School of Engineering. He volunteered for the Army in 1942 and was assigned to the Volunteer Reserve Corps at NU. In April of 1943, he volunteered for active duty. On Jan. 7, 1944, his battalion was sent to France. It was assigned to the Third Army and attached to the 12th Corps defending the southern flank of the “Bulge” at Dalheim, Luxembourg. After the “Bulge,” it remained in support of various divisions, corps and engineering groups through southern Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Grojean returned to Northeastern University School of Liberal Arts in 1946 and received a B.S.in Math/Physics in 1948. He entered Tufts University Graduate School in the Physics Department in 1948 and received a M.S. in Physics in 1950. He taught at Brandeis University for four years and was a professor at Northeastern University for 35 years. He held memberships in several honor and professional societies, including Sigma Pi Sigma Graduate Student Research Society, Sigma Xi Professional Research Society, President of the Northeastern University Branch and the Optical Society of America. He was elected an OSA Fellow for his contributions to Optical Science in 1989.
Grojean was a communicant of Saint Jerome Catholic Church, Weymouth, Mass. where he served as a lector for 28 years and as Director of Lectors for the last 10 years. He served for nine years on their Appropriation Committee and on several building committees for the Town of Weymouth. He lived in Weymouth for many years before moving to Belmont, N.H., seven years ago.
Grojean is survived by his wife, Lorraine (Baker) Grojean, two sons, two daughters, a stepson, three step-daughters, 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Community Health & Hospice, Inc., 780 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246. For more information and to view an online memorial, go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.
This obituary was contributed by the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, Laconia, NH.
