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Jerome Williams 1927-2002
An AERS Tribute to Jerome Williams

Jerome Williams 1927-2002

Jerome "Jerry" Williams, 75, professor emeritus of oceanography at the Naval Academy, died June 7 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after neurologicalsurgery.

Mr. Williams was born in Toronto, Canada, and lived in Detroit, Mich., and Baltimore. He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1944 and enlisted in the Navy, serving as an electronics technician until the end of World War II.

He received an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Maryland in 1950 and was one of the first four students to be awarded a master's degree in oceanography from Johns Hopkins University.

In 1953, he married Lelia Katherine Holden and they moved to Annapolis.

Mr. Williams worked on the research staff of the Chesapeake Bay Institute from 1952 to 1956 and as a marine physicist at Vitro Laboratories. He joined the faculty of the Naval Academy in 1957 and taught there until
his retirement in 1990.

He was active in research and development programs in underwater optics,marine pollution and oceanographic instruments. He also served as aconsultant in estuarine pollution to various agencies and headed an energy-environmental study group at the academy.

He developed a salinometer considered to be the standard instrument for estuarine salinity measurement as well as a series of educational instruments, and was the author of college textbooks on oceanography and
several scientific papers. In addition, he wrote two books for children.

He was a member of the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, and was counselor and officer for the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Marine Technology Society.

He was active in Colonial Players of Annapolis for a number of years, serving as president, and was a former chairman of the Anne Arundel County Commission for Culture and the Arts. He was a charter member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis and served as chairman of the board of trustees.

He is survived by his wife, Lelia "Lee" Williams of Annapolis; one son, Robert Williams of Seattle; one daughter, Pamela Ayres of Suwanee, Ga.; and three granddaughters.

Linda Blum, AERS President 1998-2000
Presented May 12, 2002 at Jerry's Memorial Service

What would the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society be if Jerry Williams hadn't dedicated a major portion of his professional life to the society? Of course a question like this is impossible to answer, but I do know that AERS certainly wouldn't be what it is today if Jerry hadn't been involved. While Jerry was one of several founding members of AERS, his contributions to the society spanned his entire career. Not only was he an active member of AERS his entire professional life, but he continued to serve the Society well into his retirement.

Jerry was AERS President from 1966-1967 and served on innumerable Society committees. When he retired as executive director of the Estuarine Research Federation in 1992, at Frank Reilly's urging, Jerry accepted the position of AERS Newsletter editor. I might add that Jerry often said that it was Lee who graciously allowed him to step into the position. Those of us who reaped the benefits of his outstanding editorship certainly appreciate her willingness to share Jerry with us during their retirement. Jerry was editor of the AERS Newsletter from 1992 until March 2000. During his tenure as editor, he printed, in Jerry's own words, "all the news that would fit". Sometimes it was 14-point font and sometimes 10-point font, but it always fit.

Perhaps few of today's AERS membership, but maybe more of us here today, realize the seminal role that Jerry had in the development of optical systems for measuring water clarity. However, many of the AERS membership would delight in recalling Jerry's witty and highly instructive discourses on the Secchi disk. For those of you who are unfamiliar with a Secchi disk, I've brought one with me today. No tribute to Jerry would be complete without reference to this simple, yet fundamental piece of equipment used to measure water clarity.

Jerry's lectures on the Secchi disk were much in demand at AERS meetings because they were more than a comparison of the methodologies used to measure the optical characteristics of water. They taught us to conduct our science with all seriousness, but to take ourselves lightly - two of the fundamentals that form the basis of the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society today because of Jerry's influence. What a wise and wonderful legacy to leave with multiple generations of estuarine scientists. Conduct your science with all seriousness, but take yourself lightly.

So with the great respect I'd like to conclude with a traditional AERS knuckle salute to one of the most venerable of the AERS Venerable Clams. Thank you, Jerry.

Linda Blum is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Virginia. She is Chair of ERF's Education Committee.