Raymond C. Loehr

Raymond C. Loehr (89), the former H. M. Alharthy Centennial Chair and Professor Emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin, died April 15, 2021 in Ashburn, VA.

Dr. Loehr was an expert on the treatment of industrial wastes, the management of hazardous wastes, and on the remediation of sites contaminated with industrial and hazardous wastes. He was an active member of the environmental engineering profession, published over 300 technical peer reviewed articles, and authored or co-authored ten books. During his academic career, he was the major advisor for ten PhD students and over 80 Master of Science graduate students. His major research contributions have led to improved biological methods to treat contaminated soils and to a better understanding of the actual risks of organic chemicals found in sediments.

He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1983. The reason for his election to the NAE was cited as his "international leadership in research, engineering analysis, education and management practice for solution of waste disposal problems".

His research and technology development efforts have been widely recognized. He has obtained awards from ten different professional engineering and scientific organizations, including the Rachel Carson Award from the Society of Toxicology and Chemistry and the Thomas R. Camp Medal from the Water Environment Federation.

In addition to his academic activities, he has provided invited testimony to Congressional Committees and Sub-Committees and was a consultant to industries, law firms and engineering consulting firms. He also was chair or member of committees of the National Research Council, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, Los Alamos national Laboratory, and the U. S. Environmental Agency.

With USEPA, he served for over twenty-five years as a member of its Science Advisory Board, including being Chair of the entire SAB from 1988 to 1993. The SAB provides independent advice to the USEPA Administrator and to specific EPA Offices. As part of his USEPA involvement, he chaired several independent evaluations and reports, such as the 1990 Report, "Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental Protection", that helped set directions and action for the USEPA,

As part of his professional activities, he was a member and Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers for several decades. He also was President of AAEE in 2002-2003.

Dr. Loehr was born in Cleveland Ohio, obtained a BS and MS from Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University), and obtained his PhD from The University of Wisconsin, Madison WI. Prior to his teaching and research program at The University of Texas at Austin, he was a Professor at The University of Kansas, Lawrence KS and was the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor at Cornell University, Ithaca NY. At each of these universities, he had major teaching and research programs. He moved to northern Virginia in 2003.

To obtain practical experience helpful to his professional, academic and research activities, on separate academic leaves of absence, he worked for USEPA and for a consulting engineering firm. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of two consulting engineering firms.

During the period of 1968 to 1985, Dr. Loehr held a joint appointment in the Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. He taught courses in both Departments. He also established a multi-disciplinary research program in agricultural waste management.

During the period of 1972 to 1980, he was the Head of the Environmental Studies Program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Cornell. That Program had the objective of coordinating and enhancing multi-disciplinary research and teaching related to environmental problems facing New York and the nation.

Also, during the period of 1975 to 1978, he was the Associate Director, Office of Research and Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

In 1981, he became the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of Engineering at Cornell.

He loved country music, flowers and his family, creating over 90 memory books for his loved ones. He leaves his wife of 67 years, Joan M. Loehr, and eight children: Stephen (Amy Yale-Loehr), Michael (Carrie Koplinka-Loehr), Mary and James (Caitlin Loehr) of Ithaca, NY; Mark (Catherine Tapsall) of South Sutton, NH; and Kathleen (Kevin Coray), Daniel (Karen Loehr) and Anne (Neel Inamdar) of Reston, VA as well as nineteen grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was a teacher who had a profound impact on the lives of his students. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Verona, VA, https://www.brafb.org .

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Joseph Marcoux on Saturday, May 1st, 2021 at 9:30 am at St. Catherine of Siena Church with interment to follow at the Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call Friday, April 30, 2021 from 3:30 pm until 5:30 pm at the Bangs Funeral Home.

All Covid-19 protocols regarding masking, distancing and attendance must be adhered to.