Obituary of Robert Jervis

Dr. Robert E. Jervis Ph.D., F. C.N.S., F.R.S. C. 1927-2014 Professor Robert Jervis died on his 87th birthday on May 21st, after an amazing life. He was devoted to his Christian faith and his family. He was a distinguished scientist, a man of principle, but also great humility. Above all he was a man of integrity, greatly admired and respected by his students and scientific colleagues around the world and deeply loved by his family. Born in Toronto, he came from humble roots. A child of the depression, he achieved an undergraduate degree in Math, Physics and Chemistry in 1949 and an M.A. and PhD in Physical Chemistry in 1952, all at the University of Toronto. He worked at the Chalk River nuclear research facility from 1952-58 pioneering novel methods of trace element analysis in the environment by applied nuclear chemistry. He joined the U of T Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering where he continued his research in applied analytical and environmental chemistry. He was professor at U of T for five decades, including as Professor Emeritus in his final years. His work took him around the world lecturing and consulting with scientists and scientific bodies and as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo, University of Cambridge and University of Kuala Lumpur. He published over 250 scientific papers. Robert Jervis received numerous awards and honours: the Lewis Medal, Canada's highest nuclear scientific award; the international Hevesy Medal, for radioanalytical chemistry; the American Nuclear Society's Emmon Medal; and he was the first foreign recipient of the Russian Academy of Science's Ressovsky Medal. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Society, the Canadian Society for Chemistry and an honourary fellow of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan and the Indian Academy of Sciences. He lived his faith in all aspects of his life and always traveled with a bible, seeking to bring God's love to all. His deepest professional satisfaction came from instilling first year students with a love of science. His greatest love was his family -- his devoted wife Jean, from whom he was inseparable for 70 years, daughter Ann, son Peter, grandchildren Dylan, Bronwen and Max-who shared more than a lifetime's worth of happy memories together. He is also survived by his beloved sister Kathleen. He will be deeply missed by them, all of whom are overwhelmed with gratitude for his kind and gentle presence in their lives. The family will receive friends at the Ogden Funeral Home (4164 Sheppard Ave East, Scarborough) on Sunday, May 25, 2014 from 3-7 p.m. Funeral service will take place in the Ogden Chapel on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 1 p.m. Interment at Pine Hills Cemetery.