Happy Birthday Dad!
Today is my Dad’s 87th birthday. Way back when I first discovered the magic of Googling names for fun, I Googled my Dad’s name: Dr. Burrell L. Wood, Jr. Trying various combinations, I found cool things like this excerpt from 1942 in the Journal of Organic Chemistry (see citation below) located at the American Chemical Society Publications web site. Here a publication he wrote, Atoms at the Science Fair Exhibiting Nuclear Projects (PDF), is being sold online. I’m having trouble getting to the very first thing I found online which is the text of a lecture he gave called “The role of the AEC in Career Oriented Education.” I was so excited that he was listed in a science history archive that I wrote them asking for a copy of the text. They very kindly sent it to me.
The picture of my father (cropped by me) comes with this description: “The Opening Ceremonies for the Atoms For Peace Exhibition in Utrecht, Netherlands. The three men at the front center are from left to right the American Ambassador; Prince Bernhard, husband of Queen Juliana; and Burrell L. Wood, Jr. The Queen could not attend because of Princess Beatrice’s approaching marriage. This was in 1965.”
Note: I originally had a link to this citation in the text but stopped it working so I deleted it.
SOME HYDROXYLAMINE DERIVATIVES OF ANTHRANILIC ACID1
ALFRED W. SCOTT, BURRELL L. WOOD, , Jr.
J. Org. Chem.; 1942; 7(6); 508-516.
Hi Pam,
I called your dad yesterday to wish him a happy birthday. I really enjoyed this post and will have to click on the links and read them. I liked seeing photos of your parents from years back. Were your parents married when this photo was taken in 1965?
Dad sends his thanks for the birthday wishes and very much enjoyed seeing this posting….. While we went to The Netherlands in November, 1965 to start work on the program, it did not open until the spring of 1966, when this picture was taken. After that came Dublin and Ankara – and you!
I’d like to know some of your dad’s memories of that photo. I’ll ask next time I call him or Bethyl, maybe if you read this post, you can ask him.
Bethyl–You certainly traveled far and wide from 1965 on–living and working in El Salvador, marrying in Mexico, then on to the places mentioned in your earlier email.
The phrase “Bloom where you are planted” comes to mind.
True, Marilyn, but for those two years I was just a passenger. I traveled farther and wider in Europe the previous seven years, from 1958 to 1965, before being transferred to Central America.
Pam, did you inherit your father’s chemistry expertise genes?
You forget until you see a photo like this that in 1966 men wore white (and white only) dress shirts with starched collars and cuffs, featuring perfect steamed-ironed creases.
My Mom spent hours in the basement, washing, drying, starching and ironing. This is one reason I excelled at piano. When I heard the steam iron’s hiss, I went to the piano and started practicing, so if Mom asked for help, I could honestly say, “I’m practicing piano!” I’d be off the ironing hook!
Oh, the good ol’ days!
I actually liked the math part of Chemistry which came easy to me. I never really got into the lab part though. I loved playing with Dad’s “simulator,” which was a computer made to estimate when the earth’s energy resources would run out.
Loved the picture of Dad. I left you some historical material and pictures in Laurens. Give Neal a kiss for me.
When you get a chance, check out my website…www.horrycountypride.org to see my latest activities. Love you.
Hi Julie! Very cool to get a visit from you on my blog 🙂 I’m enjoying revisiting this post and photo too. Keep up the good citizen work!
Hi
I worked for Dr. Wood in 1967 at
the Ankara, Turkey Atoms For Peace
Exhibit as Gamma Facility Operator.
Knowing him was a Great pleasure.
Please give him my regards,and best
wishes.
Yours truly
Howard W. Harvey (formerly with ANL) (gaharvey@aol.com)