Thaddeus J Novak

Born in 1940 and raised in Lansford, PA, Ted was the son the late of James and Angela (nee Shumski) Novak. He graduated from Lansford High School and received a BS in Chemistry from Drexel University and an MS in Chemistry from the University of Delaware. He is happily married to Carole (nee O’Donnell) Novak. His brothers are Fred and Francis (deceased), and a sister Dorothea.

Ted began his career as a chemist working at Allied Chemical Corporation’s research center near Syracuse, NY for five years. He also worked there earlier as a Drexel Co-op student. While at Allied Chemical, he synthesized a variety of compounds for use as catalysts and he invented an electrochemical cell for synthesizing organomercury compounds.

Following that he was employed for 32 years as a research chemist at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground. At APG he authored and co-authored numerous research publications concerning detection of chemical warfare agents and related chemicals He frequently collaborated on research projects with Dr. Edward J. Poziomek. Ted also received six U.S.patents for his inventions, all of which covered novel chemical detectors. His work resulted in new capabilities which included detection of trichothecene mycotoxins and field detection of chemical warfare agents and related chemicals for use in Chemical Weapons Treaty compliance verification inspections. He received many professional awards during a very interesting career. He received the highest honor in his field, the Department of the Army Research and Development Achievement Award, on two different occasions for unrelated achievements. One of the achievements involved the detection of trichothecene mycotoxins and the other was for research concerning the use of liquid crystals as chemical vapor detectors.

With Carole, his wife of more than 50 years, who was a landscape designer, he enjoyed visiting and photographing more than a hundred public and private gardens. They also enjoyed landscape gardening, playing bridge at the McFaul Activity Center, many bus trips, photography, square dancing, round dancing and ballroom dancing as well as training and playing with three poodles, Jacques, Angel, and Daisy. He collected unusual Japanese Maples, which were his favorite landscaping plants. He also meticulously maintained the garden where he lived. The garden at his Bel Air residence, which was designed by his wife, received the Bel Air Appearance and Preservation Committee Award and a comprehensive article describing the Novak garden was published in a special garden supplement of ‘The Aegis’ newspaper.

Ted was a longtime parishioner of St. Margaret church and also St. Joan of Arc church. He volunteered for church activities and tutored at Aberdeen Middle School. He was a longtime member and an emeritus member of the American Chemical Society. He was also a member of the Hardy Plant Society and other horticultural groups.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Margaret Church located on 141 N. Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD 21014 on July 17th at 10AM. With interment to follow at Harford Memorial Gardens located on 3839 Aldino Rd, Aberdeen, MD 21001.