Simon Ostrach ’49 ScM, ’50 PhD, of Pepper Pike, Ohio

Simon Ostrach ’49 ScM, ’50 PhD, of Pepper Pike, Ohio; Oct. 2. He was a distinguished professor emeritus of engineering at Case Western Reserve Univ. and retired director of NASA’s National Center for Space Exploration Research. A pioneer in microgravity research, he designed experiments that flew aboard the Space Shuttle in 1992 and 1995. He authored more than 150 articles and papers in scientific and engineering journals. He was instrumental in establishing new engineering schools at Rowan Univ., Florida A&M, and Florida State Univ. He was listed in many publications, including Who’s Who in Aviation History and American Men of Science. As a lecturer, he was the recipient of numerous awards and was a member of several educational societies, including the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Sciences. He also served as a consultant to many national companies and was an NCAA licensed wrestling official. He enjoyed skippering a sailboat out of Edgewater Yacht Club and driving Corvettes. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; four children, including his son, Stefan ’69; five grandchildren, including Lillian Ostrach Toborek ’07, ’08 ScM, and Sarah Ostrach ’10; and one great-grandchild.