OBITUARIES 61

OBITUARIES

Dr Ron Snaith, 1947-2000

The whole of the chemistry community, as well as Ron' s many friends and colleagues in his other spheres of life, were deeply shocked and saddened by his sudden death on New Year's Day. Ron had been diagnosed with a serious illness some little while before Christmas, and was fighting it with his normal resolve, humour and true 'Yorkshire grit', when he collapsed at home and died in Addenbrookes Hospital a few hours later. Ron leaves his wife, Jane, and two children, Tom and Katie. Jane works in the Department of Genetics, in Cambridge. Tom is in his final year at the University of Durham, reading Chemistry, and Katie is in her second year at the University of Newcastle, Northumbria. The thoughts of all who knew Ron and his family are with them at this very sad time.

Ron was born in Kingston-upon-Hull in August 1947, and was fiercely proud of his Yorkshire heritage. Ron studied Chemistry at the University of Durham between 1965-1971, graduating with a 1st Class Honours Degree in 1968, and then going on to read for a PhD, in Pure Science, under the supervision of Ken Wade, FRS. His PhD was in the general area of Main Group Co-ordination Chemistry with particular reference to the investigation of the nature of covalent bonding between organo-nitrogen ligands and metals and semi-metals. Once his thesis was completed Ron then embarked on a career in school teaching. He took a PGCE in the Department of Education at Durham, and then taught at the Durham Johnston Comprehensive School between 1972 and 1979, where he soon became Head of Chemistry.

During his teaching career he kept in close touch with Professor Wade and they published a number of research papers together. His interest in chemical research, coupled with encouragement from many of his friends, who had identified his outstanding flair and enthusiasm for the subject at an early stage of his career, was instrumental in his return to university teaching and research. In 1979 he took an appointment as Lecturer in Chemistry, at the University of Strathclyde, where he Dr Ran Snaith 62 OBITUARIES OBITUARIES 63

commenced his seminal work on the chemistry of organo-lithium also a feature of life in Comberton. Ron organised these for charity, and compounds. In 1986, Ron moved to a lectureship in the Department of in addition to the locals in the Grapevine, there was always an Chemistry at the , and in 1998 he was appointed enthusiastic, although not always particularly knowledgeable, turn-out to a Readership in Main Group Chemistry. Throughout his career Ron by Ron's research group and colleagues. On a more serious note, in maintained a phenomenal work-rate and published a prodigious times of crisis or misfortune for any of their friends and colleagues, Ron number of research papers in top quality international journals. He had and Jane were always among the first to appear, dispensing comfort, a particular liking for Chem. Commun. and Angew. Chemie, and as his support, good humour and, on occasion, financial aid. They are both chemistry was novel, innovative and exciting his success rate with these owed a great debt of gratitude by the many that they have so selflessly journals was exceptional. Many of his contributions were written in supported over the years. 'Chem. Commun. Corner' of his favourite pub, the Grapevine in Of course, Ron's interests in chemistry and teaching were not restricted Comberton, with a pint in the other hand. As well as producing over 100 to the Department. Soon after he arrived in Cambridge, Ron was elected of these 'ground breaking' articles, Ron has produced a number of major to a Fellowship at St John's College (1989). Ron took to the new works that have influenced the way that the chemistry community opportunities that membership of the College provided with relish, and thinks about the organometallic chemistry of the Main