Arthur Edward Gass

Arthur E. Gass, Jr. was born on July 23, 1931 in Dallas TX to Arthur E. Gass and Alice E. Fooshee Gass. He died Friday, May 31, 2002 at the age of 70 years. His loving wife, Gloria Jean Carter Gass survives him, after 48 years of marriage. His survivors are, children: Jean Kathleen Asberry, spouse Joseph and children Virginia, Malachi, Betty, Alize and Josef of San Francisco, CA; Mark E. Gass, spouse Susie and children Travis, Amanda, Cody, and Derek of Seguin, TX; Laura Gass Weaver and spouse Ray of Houston, TX; Amy L. Fairchild and children Melissa, Shelbie, Alianna, Brieanne and Samuel of San Antonio, TX; Andrew C. Gass, spouse Robin and children: Kelly, Laura and Tyler of Haymarket, VA; and, Susan G. Chichester, spouse Rick and children: Kayla and Bryan of Round Rock, TX.; great-grandchildren, Adrianna and Jeremy; and many loving in-laws, cousins and friends. His public school education was completed at North Dallas High School in 1949. In 1953, he graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry. After postgraduate studies at Austin State Hospital, he passed the national examinations and became a Registered Medical Technologist in January 1957. In 1965, he received a M.S. degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX where he taught several graduate courses. After his return from a USAF sabbatical, research fellowship at the University of Chicago in 1968-69, he was elected to the research honorary association, Sigma Xi. His early career was spent working in hospitals, blood banks and laboratories in Austin and San Antonio, TX. In 1959, he joined the staff of the Radiobiology Department at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph AFB, TX and continued with the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB SAM in San Antonio, TX from 1959 until 1975. During this 16 year period, he authored or co-authored 20 scientific papers and one technical monograph while serving as a Research Chemist and instructed at SAM. The balance of thirty years of Civil Service was spent as a Senior Industrial Hygienist at the National Office of the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. There he participated in the health training and education programs, the development of National Health Standards, special inspections for industry health standards and published two additional technical monographs. Mr. Gass retired in 1989 to join his family in farming and ranching a small black land spread in Guadalupe County, TX. He had been elected to membership in the American Chemical Society, the Radiation Research Society, the Health Physics Society and the American Industrial Hygiene Association. Mr. Gass was ordained and installed an Elder in the Manassas Presbyterian Church in December 1976 and installed as an Elder in the John Calvin Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, TX in 1995. His participation with the Diakonia Community of the Emmaus Walk began in 1993. In that same year, he trained and worked as a Care Team Member volunteer to visit the sick in three hospitals and for their chaplains in the Baptist Hospital System in San Antonio until 1998. From 1995 until 1998, he served as a Director of the San Antonio Community of Churches. He was also an endowed member of A. C. Garrett Lodge 1216 in Dallas, TX and a joint member of Kingsbury Lodge 887 in Kingsbury, TX. In 1997, he was elected to the San Marcos Commandery 56 in Seguin, TX. In 1997, Mr. Gass continued his life-long interest in gardening by qualifying as a Master Gardener for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service and in that same year he completed his training as a Docent Instructor and Tour Guide at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. For additional information on Arthur Gass, please see his listings in the Who's Who in Science and Engineering 1996-7, 3rd Edition or Who's Who in America 1997-8, 51st edition. Mr. Gass was a loving husband, father, teacher, and friend; a poet and true servant of our Lord. The family will receive friends at Porter Loring North, on Monday June 3, 2002 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.