James C. Vary ’61

James C. Vary ’61, of Wheaton, Ill.; Aug. 12, of lung cancer. He earned a master’s and PhD in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin. A position as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago followed. He remained at the University of Illinois throughout his career, becoming a full professor conducting basic science research on the biochemistry of spore formation in bacteria and teaching biochemistry. He was the recipient of several Professor of the Year and Distinguished Teacher of the Year awards. In retirement he volunteered at Northwestern Medicine’s Central DuPage Hospital and was head of the workshop at Wyndemere, where he worked with the DuPage Woodworkers to make wooden toy race cars for under-resourced/ill children in the area. He is survived by wife Pat Vary, eight children and their spouses, 18 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.