Barbara Bursa Martin, aged 86, passed away February 7, 2021, peacefully, in her home. The only child of Bessie Zavadil Bursa and George Bursa, she was born August 2, 1934 in Oak Park, IL (greater Chicago area), where she spent her early life, living in Berwyn, Westmont, and Hinsdale, IL, graduating from Hinsdale High School in 1952. She became a freshman at Grinnell College in September 1952. At Grinnell, she majored in chemistry and met another chemistry major, Dean F. Martin, whom she would later marry while they were graduate students at Penn State (1956). After he earned his doctorate and she her master’s in chemistry, they spent a year in London where he was engaged in post-doctoral studies at University College and where their daughter, Diane (Rudnick) Martin, was born at University College Hospital. The next academic post was at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where sons Bruce, John, and Paul were born. Dean accepted a faculty appointment at USF in 1964, and sons Brian and Eric were born in Tampa.
When Eric was three, Barbara was granted a courtesy appointment in Chemistry at USF and spent over 35 years doing research with her husband that led to about 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals and their involvement with five books. She also served as a co-editor with her husband of Florida Scientist for 26 years.
She shared a sense of philanthropy that led to six endowments at Grinnell College, two at Penn State and four at USF. In addition, she shared responsibility for support of USF ROTC programs in Air Force, Army, and Navy/Marines.
She was preceded in death by her grandson, Nikolas Martin.
She is survived by her husband Dean, of the home; daughter, Diane Martin-Rudnick, Edmonds, WA; five sons, Bruce (Alison Nelson), Oak Park, IL; John (Beth), Redding, CA; Paul (Darlene), Fairfax, VA; Brian (Carin Marcussen), Edmond, OK; and Eric, Dallas, TX; and five grandchildren, Sierra Rudnick and Kai Rudnick, Edmonds, WA; Domanic Martin, Fairfax, VA; and George Martin and Elisabeth Marcussen, Edmond, OK.
Funeral arrangements are through Blount & Curry. A Memorial Service will be held at 1pm on Saturday, February 13, 2021, at the Blount & Curry Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33618. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org), in her memory.
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