James Otto Schreck

Dr. James Otto Schreck passed away on Sunday, March 23, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. He was born in Houston, Texas on November 6, 1937 to Otto and Margaret Pavlock Schreck.

Jim graduated from St. Thomas High School (Houston) in 1955 and the University of St. Thomas (Houston) in 1959. He received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Texas A&M University in 1964. After post-doctoral studies at Georgia Institute of Technology and Louisiana State University, he joined the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in 1966. He was Professor of Chemistry upon retiring in 2010 and held the rank Professor Emeritus at UNC.

In August 1966, Jim married Eugenia (Jean) Hill of Greenville, Georgia at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta. They then moved to Greeley, Colorado, where they raised their two sons and Jim taught at UNC. Jim and Jean were married for 56 years before her passing in 2023.

During his 44 years of service to UNC and students, Professor Schreck taught Organic Chemistry, a course for nursing majors, and a liberal arts Chemistry course for non-science majors. He published three textbooks, one on Organic Chemistry, and two as co-author on General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry. He developed over 40 conceptual demonstrations for the liberal arts chemistry course.

During his career, Dr. Schreck served as Science Program Coordinator for UNC's Summer Enrichment Program for Talented and Gifted Students. He was the Field Center Director for UNC's Institute for Chemical Education and directed several National Science Foundation-funded workshops for secondary school teachers and later for middle and junior high school science teachers. He served as co-editor of the Chemistry-on-Stamps series and as editor of the Filtrates and Residues monthly column for the Journal of Chemical Education. He directed three Eisenhower-funded workshops for elementary teachers from rural and western slope Colorado. He co-edited SourceBook, a component of ChemSource, which is a nationally distributed resource for novice high school teachers to support chemistry teaching through laboratory activities, classroom strategies, and demonstrations.

Dr. Schreck was active in the American Chemical Society (ACS) on both the local and national level for 40 years. He served the Colorado ACS local section as Section Treasurer, Section Awards Chair, High School Awards Chair, Alternate Councilor, and Councilor. He edited and distributed a Section-supported newsletter, ChemiCo News, to all Colorado high school chemistry teachers and received the Colorado Section's Service Award. As Councilor, he participated in ACS governance on the Membership Affairs Committee and the Divisional Activities Committee. He was a member of the editorial board of ACS's on-line Chemistry magazine. During his years as Colorado Councilor, he served the local section as chair of the Grants-in-Aid Committee and hosted several Summer Senior Luncheons. He was a member of the writing teams for the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam. He was a 50+ -year member of the ACS and was named in the 2012 class of ACS Fellows.

At UNC, Dr. Schreck served the Department of Chemistry, the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the University in various capacities. He served as Department Chair, on the College's Policies and Procedures Committee, the Awards Committee, and the Board of Athletic Control. He was a Faculty Marshall and Mace Bearer at graduation. He received various awards from the University including College Scholar, College Teaching Award, and Excellence in Service Award. He was recognized by Mortar Board on six occasions. He was on the Alumni Board and served as Faculty Advisor for Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. In addition to the ACS, he was a member of Sigma Xi, Lambda Sigma Tau, and Phi Lambda Upsilon.

Dr. Schreck received the Chemical Manufacturing Associations' National Catalyst Award for excellence in Chemistry Teaching in 1995.

Educated by the Basilian Fathers at St. Thomas, he lived his life by their motto, “Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge,” instilling each of these in his own students. He took great delight working with undergraduate and graduate students on research projects and publishing articles in various journals. Until the time of his passing, he continued to maintain contact with his former students, many of whom were from his earliest years at UNC. Some of his former students provided nursing care for him during the last years of his life.

He enjoyed performing the Tollens’ Test (aka “silver-mirror” reaction) in commemorative glass Coca-Cola bottles. The reaction produces silver metal, which coats the glass interior, resulting in a mirrored bottle. He would then give these away as gifts.

After Jim’s retirement from UNC in 2010, he and Jean returned to Georgia to be closer to family. Desiring to continue teaching, he joined the Chemistry Department at Columbus State University as a part-time Instructor. In 2018, he retired again, but continued to stay involved in Chemistry, often reviewing manuscripts and visiting with former colleagues and students.

Jim loved his family. He and Jean raised their two sons in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greeley. He was active in his young sons’ lives, participating in their various school, scouting, and sports activities. It brought him immense happiness to be involved in these opportunities that he did not have as a young boy. To help prepare his sons and grandchildren for their school exams, he would regularly write practice tests and grade them. He served as Lector, Eucharistic Minister, and religious education teacher at St. Mary’s. After retiring to Georgia, he served as Lector and as a member of the Community Outreach ministry at St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus. His hobbies included collecting postage stamps with a chemistry theme, hiking, listening to film music, and visiting historical sites.

Jim is survived by his two sons, Steven Schreck of Atlanta and Michael Schreck and his wife Christy of Columbus; his three grandchildren whom he adored, Anna, Lucy, and Owen; his sister, Frances Gouge of Houston; and his niece, Denise Vessels (Hugh) of Houston. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean; brother-in-law, Thomas Gouge; and nephews, Thomas Gouge, Jr. and Gregory Gouge.

A Visitation will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus, Georgia at 10:30 am EDT on Saturday, April 5, 2025, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:30 am EDT. Interment will be in the Greenville, Georgia Cemetery at 2:30 pm EDT. The Mass will be live-streamed: www.stannecsg.com/live

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Dr. James Schreck Chemistry Scholarship Endowment at the University of Northern Colorado.

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Thank You Lord

Thank you Lord for watching over us.

Through our task you made us victorious.

We praise your name, most great and glorious.

Thank you Lord for one more day.

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Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen