Day, Richard Allen

Richard Allen Day, 80, of Blacksburg, Va., and formerly of Cincinnati, Ohio, died on Thursday, January 12, 2012, after a long illness. He was born on April 4, 1931, into a Quaker family on a farm near Newton, Iowa. He began his education in a one room school, completed a bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from M.I.T. He was a professor of Biochemistry at the University of Cincinnati for 46 years, mentored numerous graduate students and conducted research which resulted in many publications, patents and inventions. His life was pleasantly driven by curiosity and scholarship. His interests included gardening, music, travel in Central and South America, archaeology, astronomy, (resulting in the book, Nibiru Rediscovery .) His biography is listed in Who’s Who in America. In all his endeavors he was a gentleman and a gentle man, a good person in every way. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence Hodson and Della Mendenhall Day. He was lovingly devoted to his family, wife, Lyn Tibbits Day, of 56 years; children, Eric and his wife, Nan Gray, and Sylvia and her husband, Kaushik Roy; and grandchildren, Gordon Day, Graham Day, Geetanjali Roy and Arundhati Roy. He is also survived by his brother, Charles Day; sister, Gladys Wager; and cherished nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at the Blacksburg Friends Meetinghouse, 404 Mt. Tabor Road, Blacksburg. The family suggests that memorials be made to the Blacksburg Friends Meeting or Good Samaritan Hospice, 1160 Moose Drive, NW, Christiansburg, VA 24073. Funeral arrangements are with the Kendall Funeral Home in Pembroke. Online condolences may be sent to kendallfuneralhome.com.