Thursday, June 20, 2013

Immortality (June 20, 2013) -- Daniel Joseph O'Kane

"Immortality Lies in Being Remembered by Family and Friends." -- John D. Tew 

Daniel J. O'Kane (June 20, 1919 - December 21, 2007)

My wife's father, Daniel J. O'Kane, Jr., was born 94 years ago today in Long Island City, New York.  He was the first-born of the six children of Daniel J. O'Kane, Sr. and his wife, Nora C. (Hayes) O'Kane.

Dan graduated from Great Neck High School in Great Neck, NY.  He was an outstanding student and excelled in Science.  Following high school, Dan went to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1940.  After graduating from Cornell, Dan earned a Master of Science degree at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  He then served in Army intelligence from December, 1941 until February, 1946.  He rose to the rank of Major.

When WWII ended and he left the Army, Dan decided to pursue his doctorate and in 1947 he obtained his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Cornell University.

Following completion of his doctorate, Dan joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and remained there his entire academic career.  He joined the Penn faculty as an Assistant Professor of Microbiology in 1947 and served in that capacity until 1951 when he became Associate Professor.  In 1956 he was appointed full Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania.  During his tenure at Penn, Dan held various administrative positions including: Chairman of the Graduate Group in Microbiology (1960 - 1968); Vice Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1966 - 1968); Associate Dean, GSAS (1968 - 1969); Acting Dean GSAS (1970 - 1974); Deputy Associate Provost for Academic Planning (1974 - 1978); Chairman, Depart. of Biology (1978 - 1980); and Associate Chairman, Depart. of Biology (1980 - 1985).  He retired from Penn in 1986.

Dan loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman -- especially fly fishing in the Adirondacks where he and his wife had a "nice little camp" on Lake Placid for many years.

In memory of Dan on this anniversary of his birth . . . .








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Photographs from the family collection.
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Copyright 2013, John D. Tew
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