Manfred Karl Winnewisser

https://webcasts.lifetributes.com/1178508

Manfred Winnewisser, age 87, of Dublin, OH. Born in Karlsruhe, Germany on February 5, 1934, and died on November 22, 2021. He had an irregular education due to the war. He first learned farm work including leading a yoke of oxen up and down the slopes of the Black Forest, hauling wood. Back in the city after the war, he served an apprenticeship with an electrical firm and graduated from a business high school. He received his M.S. degree in Physical Chemistry in 1956 from the Technical University of Karlsruhe and his Dr. rer. nat. under the guidance of Werner Zeil in 1960. He came to the USA in 1961 as a "post doc" at Duke University where he both learned and taught for four years and met his wife, Brenda (Pruden) Winnewisser. She, too, had a Ph.D., in Physics and both worked under the guidance of Walter Gordy. They moved to Germany to work in Karlsruhe and soon discovered that they were a good team. After two years they moved to Kiel, Germany and worked at the University of Kiel for seven years, building up a research program using millimeter waves (smaller than microwaves) to reveal the spectra and thus the structure of small molecules using a computer to achieve previously unattained accuracy in this field. A program of the National Science Foundation took them to Mississippi State University in 1970 for a year where both were teaching and learning about life in the South. In 1974, he was appointed professor at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen and the laboratory thrived for 25 years. He recruited the most ambitious students to do their degree work with him or Brenda by challenging those who approached him. They would have to work hard and should understand that they were working for their own future. New technology led to shifts in the focus of the work. Manfred's solid chemistry background plus the physics and electronics he mastered at Duke, secured a niche for many projects both physical and chemical in nature. By the time he reached mandatory retirement in 1999, the lab had graduated over 50 students with their Diplomas and/or Ph.D. degrees and welcomed and worked with about the same number of short-term visitors including some from 17 countries. In 2000, Manfred and Brenda were thrilled to accept an invitation to come to the Ohio State University as adjunct professors and work in the laboratory of Dr. Frank C. DeLucia in the Physics Department. This period brought new discoveries about small molecules and the pleasure of working again with young people. Manfred enjoyed hiking, be it in the Smokies or the Black Forest. He was an avid photographer. Science conferences brought him and Brenda to many wonderful corners of the world. He was proud of his naturalization in 2008. He was very generous and supportive of students and friends. Manfred and Brenda finally retired in 2019. Heartfelt thanks to the teams of the Ganzhorn Suites, Compassionate Caregivers, Capital City Hospice, Friendship Village of Dublin, Columbus Alzheimer Care Center and Friendship at Home, especially Nicole Cicerella. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at Schoedinger Dublin, 5980 Perimeter Dr. Dublin, OH, and will be livestreamed at www.schoedinger.com. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in honor of Manfred Winnewisser to the Environmental Defense Fund, Save the Bees.com or a cause of your choice. Arrangements by Schoedinger Dublin. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.schoedinger.com.