Death

Mr. Parkinson, Physics Department

Peter D.S. Parkinson, a former lecturer in the physics department, died on September 28 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 70.

Mr. Parkinson earned his B.A. from Gettysburg College in 1955 and his M.A. in physics from Penn in 1960. He began working in the physics department in 1959 as an investigator and was promoted to a research specialist in 1964. Additionally, he was the supervisor of the undergraduate and graduate physics laboratories between 1960 and 1980. During his time at Penn, he co-edited several editions of the undergraduate laboratory manual.

He left Penn in 1980 to take a position in the laser physics laboratory at General Electric Aerospace which later became Lockheed Martin. He remained there until his retirement in 1999.

He is survived by his wife, Terri Swantic Parkinson (CW '73, SW '78); a daughter, Sara Elizabeth; and a son, Christopher Scott.

  Almanac, Vol. 50, No. 10, October 28, 2003