Louis Whiteside Balmer

Dusckas Obituaries

Louis Whiteside Balmer was born in Ardmore, Pa. on November 25, 1916. He graduated with a BS in physics from Wagner College, Staten Island, N.Y. in 1938. He earned his MS in chemistry and education from PSU in 1952. He was a graduate assistant at Rutgers University in 1948. He also was a research participant at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory during the summer of 1960. He served in World War II with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' 42nd Chemical Laboratory Company. One of his responsibilities during the war was to analyze the Japanese war gases.

In September of 1948, Louis W. Balmer arrived in Erie, Pa. to join the newly established Behrend Center of the Pennsylvania State University as the first chemistry professor. He taught chemistry at Behrend until retiring in 1982. He also taught organic chemistry to nurses at Hamot, Meadville and Oil City hospitals through the Penn State University.

Balmer was the executive director of the Engineers' Week Industrial Expo for 30 years. The Expo was sponsored by the Erie Engineering Societies Council of which he was a member. He was a member of the American Chemical Society for 69 years serving twice as a chairperson. He was a member and served for two years as the executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of College Chemistry Teachers. He served as a president, Governor of the Region and as a member of the International Board of Directors for Sertoma, a service organization. He worked with Boy Scouts where he earned the Silver Beaver award.

He died at the age of 93 on July 26, 2010, at his home which is surrounded by the Behrend campus. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Evelyn; two sons, Norman and Wesley; a daughter, Deanna Balmer Svrcek; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. The family will have a private memorial.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Louis W. and Evelyn H. Balmer Scholarship Fund at Penn State Behrend, 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563 or to Erie Community Foundation: Louis W. Balmer/EESC Scholarship Fund, 459 West Sixth Street, Erie, Pa. 16507. The Dusckas Funeral Home, Inc., East, 2607 Buffalo Road handled arrangements.

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