Obituary of Roger P. Kambour

Niskayuna - Roger Peabody Kambour, 76, of Rosendale Road, Niskayuna, passed away on Dec 20, 2008, at Eddy Ford Nursing Home after a lengthy illness. Born on April, 1, 1932, in Winchester, MA, he was the son of the late George C. and Ada G. (Mattraw) Kambour. Roger was valedictorian of his Wilmington High School class. He earned a B.A. degree cum laude in chemistry from Amherst College; he received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the Univ. of New Hampshire. Dr. Kambour was a research chemist at GE Corporate Research and Development from 1960 through the late 1990s. He was a visiting professor at MIT in 1991, a visiting scientist at the National Institute of Standards & Technology in 1993 and a research professor at UMass-Amherst from 1994-1999. His work focused on the chemical and physical properties of glass polymers and block polymers. He was the author of 120 technical papers, more than 100 technical reports and held two patents. Dr. Kambour was known internationally for his contribution to the understanding of crazing and its role in crack propagation, defining the relationship between the optical properties, composition, and strain of the craze. He used to say that he specialized in failure (of plastics). For his work, he received the Ford High Polymer Physics Prize of the American Physical Society. Other research interests included: polymer blend thermodynamics; relaxation behavior; and ultimate properties of plasticized and antiplasticized polymers. Dr. Kambour was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He was honored with a Coolidge Fellowship - the highest individual award for technical excellence -- at GE Global Research and received the American Chemical Society Union Carbide Chemicals Award. Dr. Kambour's colleagues valued his ability to articulate and explain complicated chemical insights so as to make them understandable to non-experts. He served on several editorial advisory boards. He was valued as a mentor, a role that he continued into his retirement. Dr. Kambour was active in the community. He was elected to the Schenectady County Board of Supervisors as a Supervisor from the First Ward in 1963-65. In that role, he helped spearhead construction of the current Schenectady County Library. He was appointed to the Community College Study Committee to ascertain the feasibility of locating a community college in Schenectady. He was a member of the Schenectady County Charter Commission that called for reorganization of the County government, a member of the Schenectady City Historical District Commission, and a member of the art committee for the Schenectady Museum. He served as chair of The Freedom Forum in 1975-76. Dr. Kambour loved being out-of-doors: sailing, hiking, skiing; he served as a member of the National Ski Patrol (at Hickory Hill). He sang in several local choral groups; his musical ability continued into his illness. He loved to cook, to attend local concerts and lectures, and to spend time with family and friends. He enthusiastically supported Amherst College and Wilmington High School alumni activities. He was a member of the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady. Above all, his primary passion was his family. Whether attending various concerts, sporting events or family reunions, he cheered his children and family in their achievements. He even did a stint as a Pop Warner coach in 1995. He is survived by Barbara Vivier, his wife of 24 years, his daughter Annaliese S. Kambour (Larry Rubin) of Forest Hills, NY, and his sons Christian R. Kambour of San Mateo, CA and Joshua V. Kambour of Niskayuna, NY, as well as three grandchildren (Sofia and David Rubin and Jacob Kambour). He is also survived by his brother Edward S. Kambour (Fran) as well as six nephews and a niece. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister Constance H. Kambour. A service to remember and celebrate the Life of Roger Kambour will be held at The First Uniterian Society of Schenectady on 1221 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 20. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Amherst College (Amherst MA 01002) or to a preferred charity.