James D. Kurfess

James D. Kurfess James D. Kurfess, an internationally recognized authority in high-energy astrophysics research, died after an extended illness on 27 October 2015 in Columbia, Maryland. He was widely admired and respected by his colleagues for his leadership, development of gamma-ray instruments launched into space, and for the seminal observations that these instruments produced. He retired from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC in 2007, where he spent virtually all of his scientific career. James ("Jim") was born November 8, 1940 to Margaret (nee Zingg) and John Kurfess and raised on the family farm near Perrysburg, Ohio. He excelled in academics and athletics and was awarded a full tuition scholarship to the Case Institute of Technology (CIT) in Cleveland, Ohio upon his high school graduation. Jim was a guard on the CIT basketball team throughout his undergraduate years. He pursued both undergraduate and graduate studies at Case and received a BS degree in Physics in 1962; an MS degree in Nuclear Physics in 1963; and was awarded a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics in 1967. In 1967, Jim joined Rice University as a Research Associate and worked with Professor R. C. Haymes on many of the pioneering gamma-ray observations from high altitude balloons. Dr. Kurfess is preceded in death by his parents, John and Margaret Kurfess. He is survived by his wife, Mary Deffley Kurfess, of Gambrills, Maryland; his daughter, Victoria Kurfess Lobley of Hagerstown, Maryland; his son, Christopher Kurfess of Westminster, Maryland; his stepson John Scaggs, of Gambrills, Maryland; his sister, Nancy Kurfess Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio; his brother, Charles Kurfess of Perrysburg, Ohio; his brother, John Kurfess, of Perrysburg, Ohio; and three grandchildren: Christopher Andrew and Sophia Lobley; and Leonard Kurfess Star. In 1969, Dr. Kurfess joined the Space Science Division at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC where he spent his entire scientific career. At NRL he established and managed a productive research activity in observational gamma-ray astrophysics that developed new detector capabilities for balloon-borne and satellite instruments. These instruments contributed some of the first observations of celestial gamma-ray emitting objects such as supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, and the turbulent region at the center of our galaxy. Under Dr. Kurfess' leadership, the NRL team made significant contributions to Department of Defense and NASA space missions to understand the high energy radiation environment and the physics of the astrophysical sources of these emissions. In 1978, Jim was selected to be the Principal Investigator of the Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE), one of the experiments to be placed on one of NASA's Great Observatories, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. At the time, this observatory was the largest scientific spacecraft ever developed by NASA. The mission was launched in 1991 and re-defined our understanding of the gamma-ray universe. In its nine years of operations OSSE made important contributions to a variety of topics, including the energy spectrum of nuclear lines in solar flares, the radioactive decay of nuclei in supernova remnants, the signature of matter-antimatter (electron-positron) annihilation in the Galactic center region, and the characteristics of high-energy radiation from black holes of all sizes - from galactic, few solar mass black holes to those massive (> 10 to the 6th power solar masses) black holes in the core of active galactic nuclei. Dr. Kurfess was a long-time member of the American Astronomical Society, the American Physical Society (where he was selected as a Fellow), the International Astronomical Union, and the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers. He served on numerous committees for Department of Defense and civilian agencies, including NASA and the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Kurfess was continually searching for new detector materials or measurement techniques that would probe more deeply into the gamma-ray universe. This research resulted in three patents and a publication record of over 180 articles. As a researcher he was always open to new ideas and a strong mentor to his scientific and engineering staff. In a variety of management responsibilities for NRL's Space Science and Space Technologies research activity, Jim had a large influence on the direction and success of NRL's program. Jim's contributions to high energy astrophysics and to NRL will be long remembered. Jim enjoyed piloting small aircraft and maintained a lifelong passion for sports. He played basketball into his fifties on the team at NRL. He also played league tennis and golf well into his sixties. Jim ran in the Marine Corps Marathon each year from 2008 through 2011 until his illness prevented continued participation. The family dog, Russell, served as Jim's running partner and trainer for the marathons. Jim was a loving and beloved husband. He was a kind, generous, and surprisingly humble man, given the extent of his intellect, physical capabilities, and accomplishments. He delighted in his children, grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be sorely missed. Visitation for Dr. Kurfess is scheduled for Sunday, November 1 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Beall Funeral Home, 6512 N.W. Crain Highway (Route 3 South), Bowie, MD 20715. The funeral will be on Monday, November 2, at 11:00 a.m. at Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, MD 21114. Interment of ashes will be private and at a later date. Memorial gift donations may be sent to: Johns Hopkins Medicine Neurology Department Attention: Dr. Argye Hillis 600 North Wolfe Street, Phipps Suite 446 Baltimore, MD 21287 In the memo line: In memory of Jim Kurfess. Case Alumni Association 10900 Euclid Avenue, Tomlinson Hall - 109 Cleveland, OH 44106. In the memo line: In memory of Jim Kurfess. Community United Methodist Church 1690 Riedel Road Crofton, MD 21114 In the memo line: In memory of Jim Kurfess.