Michael Orlov

Michael Orlov, 70, of Elm Street, Ithaca, died Tuesday January 16, 2018 at home. Graveside services will be held Thursday January 25, 2018 at 11 am at the Greensprings Natural Cemetery, Newfield. New York. There are no calling hours.Michael J. Orlove Biographical sketch



As told to Lisa S. Turner in 2013:

Michael Orlove was born to Helen and Milton Orlove on November 28, 1948 in the Bronx Hospital. His twin brother did not survive the birth. He has one sister, Gail, who has predeceased him. Michael attended P.S. 77 for kindergarten and P.S. 66 for the Sight Conservation Program. He spent July of the year he was eight in the hospital suffering a detached retina, a trauma resulting from a beating at school. Then he attended the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind, which he called a great school, the best thing that ever happened to him. Michael had difficulty with Braille, because he was partially sighted. He was therefore initially classified as retarded, but was able to do grade level work through 12 grade, and was chosen Salutatorian.

Even as a young boy, Michael observed insect and animal behavior wherever he was, and kept track of plants through the seasons. Crow garlic was a favorite species.

Michael arrived at Cornell University to study biology in the College of Agriculture in the fall of 1966. His first faculty adviser was Harry Seely in microbiology, then Lee Hardin, with whom he disagreed, then Roger Morse, with whom he did not get along, then Howie Howland. He decided to major in Neurobiology and Behavior. Michael took an incomplete in a course on Chaucer, and had some trouble with a German course, he recalls. He resigned from the college in 1970 but stayed to study bees.

Michael was accepted at the Imperial College of London, at the field station at Silwood (across from John Lennon's estate), to study with William D. Hamilton, until April 1974. Michael has a D.I.C.-a Diploma of the Imperial College. He moved to the University of Sussex. His adviser there was John Maynard Smith. He was examined in absentia, having returned to the United States. The D. Phil.( Doctor of Philosophy) degree was awarded at a ceremony in June 1981, which he was not able to attend.

While he was at Sussex, he had difficulty with other people resulting in chemical exposures that made him extremely sensitive to dangerous substances. He was in Ithaca in 1976, when Professor Smith was away from Sussex, unable to be his advocate. When back in Sussex, Michael was exposed to Chlordane, and was hit by a car, a truck, and a bicycle. He left England in 1978 to stay with his parents in Tucson after exposure to radioactive material. Michael was also briefly in Cleveland at Case Western Reserve. His writings were accepted by the Journal of Biology. Michael returned to Ithaca to write up his thesis, relying on a visual technology machine. The Commission for the Blind paid for a typist at the Biometry Unit in Warren Hall. From 1983 to 1985, he was at Harvard, at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and also with the University of Arizona. He had a contract with NASA to teach care of carpenter bees to astronauts.

Michael was allergic to many things. He had to be careful of his diet. He rejected food, parcels, containers, garments that triggered reactions. Nonetheless, many people were kind to him and helped him with his needs. David Rice, Mariann Carpenter, Terry Thompson, Gary Fine, and Art Godin come to mind from years ago. Louise, at Social Services, was very conscientious. Medical personnel who treated, or attempted to treat him were also remarkably patient and considerate, at Guthrie and at Cayuga Medical Center. He lived in the basement apartment belonging to the rabbi; later in Collegetown, where he helped at Sarah's little grocery store. Satisfactory housing became increasingly difficult to find, and Michael was often staying at Royal Court Motel in between various placements.

Dick Taylor of Lansing drove Michael to do errands for at least thirty years. Lisa Turner also drove him for errands and medical appointments, and listened to him recite poems, sing songs, and explain the behavior of carpenter bees on the telephone beginning about 1990, tapering off after 2013. Michael called his high school music teacher, Elizabeth Tode Hoard, several times a week until she died at 104. Professor William Provine sponsored Michael at Cornell for many years. Professor Dan Sisler also received daily telephone calls. Bill Doggett was quite possibly his best friend. Michael spoke movingly of Bill Dogget's life and aspirations at Bill's memorial service.

Some of Michael's scientific work is posted online. For example:

http://www.lightlink.com/bobhope/m2mfull3.pdf



Michael often spoke of his interest in kinship theory, and the search for the "gene for altruism." He devised special cameras for recording the activity of bees in their nests. He observed nests in several places around the area, even under a bench in front of the Schwartz Center.

Michael loved English folk songs, and always remembered meeting John Roberts and Tony Barrand at Cornell. He liked to learn new languages. He liked to devise experiments. He was interested in everyone he met.