Three former Eastern Michigan University employees, including
a physics professor, died this month.
Walter L. Gessert, professor of physics at Eastern Michigan
University from 1960-1986, died Aug. 19. He was 87.
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Gessert |
Gessert attended EMU as an undergraduate and received
his bachelor's degree in 1944. He received his master's
degree from Wayne State University and his Ph.D. from Michigan
State University.
After receiving his doctorate, Gessert worked as a physicist
for the U.S. Rubber Co. and, later, as group leader in
passenger tire design for Uniroyal. While at Uniroyal,
Gessert met a co-worker whose baby had a suspected heart
defect. This led to his interest in ballistocardiology,
a subject he would research for many years.
"That baby's heart, 18 years ago, was found to be not
defective," said Gessert, in a 1976 article about his work, "but
our research has continued."
While teaching at EMU,
Gessert conducted cardiac research in the basement of
Harper Hospital in Detroit. His work focused on creating
a ballistics bed. Ballistics, in this case, refers to the
cardiac movements involved in forcing blood into the arteries
and the recoil of the body. A ballistics bed is not a weapon,
but a device that can detect potential problems in the
heart and arterial system.
In addition to ballistocardiology, Gessert also studied
optics and acoustics. He taught courses in pre-medical,
non-calculus physics; electrical measurements; and a course,
musical acoustics, that he created. The course focused
on the physics of sound, exploring the nature of music
and its production. It has since evolved to be called "Physical
Sciences in the Arts" or PHY101.
"He loved the musical acoustics course and wanted to continue
teaching it even after he retired," said Alexandria Oakes,
department head of physics and astronomy. "He taught part-time
for two to three years after his retirement."
"He truly loved teaching," said John Wooley, emeritus
faculty and a former colleague of Gessert's. "You can't
say that about everybody."
In 1978, Gessert was elected president of the EMU Faculty
Assembly. He also was a member of the Acoustical Society
of America, the Optical Society of America, the American
Association of Physics Teachers, Sigma Xi, Pi Mu Epsilon
and Sigma Pi Sigma. He was granted emeritus status upon
his retirement.
In the community, Gessert was active in the Ypsilanti
Kiwanis Club and Emmanuel Lutheran Church, where he served
on church counsel and taught Sunday school for 20 years.
Survivors include his wife, Betty; three sons, Gregory,
David and John; and nine grandchildren.
A funeral service took place Aug. 23 at Emmanuel Lutheran
Church. Contributions in his memory may be made to Emmanuel
Lutheran Church or Lutheran Social Services of Michigan.
Beatrice Jenkins, who worked in the home economics department
at Eastern Michigan University, died Aug. 13. She was 82.
After leaving EMU in 1969, Jenkins worked at the Ford
Motor Plant in Ypsilanti. She retired in 1986, and moved
to Georgia in 1998. She was a member of the Nurses' Guild
at Second Baptist Church in Ypsilanti and the Christian
Missionary Baptist Church in College Park, Ga.
Survivors include one son, Lawrence Jenkins; two daughters,
Valerie Taylor and Georgia Berry, all of Jonesboro, Ga.;
one sister, Edna Cole; two granddaughters; and three great
grandsons.
A funeral service took place Aug. 19 at Second Baptist
Church.
Helen Margaret Hill, who worked as a bookkeeper assistant
in the audit department at Eastern Michigan University
for 18 years, died Aug. 5. She was 84.
Hill graduated valedictorian of her class at Walbridge
High School, in Walbridge, Ohio. She married her high school
sweetheart, LaMar J. Hill, and the two moved to Ypsilanti
after LaMar's discharge from the Navy. She lived in Ypsilanti
for 57 years, where she raised three children. She was
an active member of the First United Methodist Church of
Ypsilanti, United Methodist Women, Church Women United
and Begole Study Group.
Survivors include two daughters, Cynthia Low Burch and
Melinda Sue Long; one son, Rodney LaMar Hill; and eight
grandchildren.
A funeral service took place Aug. 10, at First United
Methodist Church. Contributions in her memory may be made
to either First United Methodist Church or Arbor Hospice
Care.
