Dr. Henri Soumerai

Dr. Henri Soumerai, a native of Geneva and a Swiss American dual national living in Boston, passed away on 7 November 2023, at the age of 100.

Having earned his Ms Me and PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Dr. Soumerai authored many articles and books and holds numerous patents in thermal engineering design. He was particularly proud of his visionary work related to screw compressors in the large refrigeration and air conditioning market, which earned him the title of “Mr. Compressor” within the industry. But he was much more than an applied engineer. He was among the few to recognize that Newtonian physics, the second law of thermodynamics, and entropy were crucial to the development of heat transfer in closed tubes, which enshrined his work on the screw compressor for more than 50 years. Ultimately, this work led to leadership positions at ITT Europe in Brussels and Brown, Boveri & Cie in Switzerland, where he continued his lifelong devotion to promoting safe and efficient energy.

While passionate about his work, Dr. Soumerai prioritized time in nature to provide balance, perspective, and peace during his long life. With family, he delighted in skiing fresh powder in the Alps, Rockies, and mountains of New England. He enjoyed camping with his children out of a station wagon, wading through rapids while fly fishing, and grilling trout over an open fire after a day of hiking. He always inherently knew which pools in the streams had trout, often leading to abrupt changes of plans mid-car trip to accommodate his sixth sense.

Dr. Soumerai charmed family and friends with his wit and playfulness, and his appreciation (and appetite) for tasty food provides evidence that longevity can be consistent with ignoring all modern advice about good nutrition—rare steak and hamburgers, crispy French fries, cheese fondue, butter drenched crusty bread, and Swiss chocolate featured prominently. To boot, there is rarely a photo of Dr. Soumerai without a tobacco pipe in hand.

Dr. Soumerai’s late wife, Brigid Eithne Soumerai, born in Ireland, was the love and companion of his life - their time together brought decades of happiness. Dr. Soumerai is survived by an extended close-knit family including three children, Stephen, David, and Heidi, five grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren (and counting) who are all grateful to have inherited his commitment to good work and love of nature.

A small memorial is being planned for immediate family to celebrate the life of Dr. Soumerai.