Marcellus L. Wiedenbeck
Marcellus Wiedenbeck died June 16, 2001, in Philadelphia. He was born Oct. 11, 1919, in Lancaster, N.Y., the son of George and Catherine Roskey Wiedenbeck. After graduation from Canisius College in 1941, he received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1945. During World War II, he taught physics to military officers at the University of Notre Dame and took part in research supporting the Manhattan Project.
In 1946 Wiedenbeck joined the U-M Department of Physics, serving on the faculty until his retirement in 1986. At U-M he taught both large undergraduate lecture courses and advanced seminars and coauthored numerous research articles in the field of nuclear spectroscopy including the 5th edition of the textbook Electrical Measurements. He chaired the doctoral thesis committees of 40 graduate students. Wiedenbeck served as associate chairman of the Department of Physics, 1978–86, and co-chaired the Engineering Physics Program for many years. In 1984 he received the Amoco Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching.
Wiedenbeck was married to Jane Kathryn Young from 1946 until her death in 1974. He is survived by his second wife, Betty Nieset Wiedenbeck, of Boulder, Colo.; and by six children and their families: Mary George of Trenton, N.J.; Mark Wiedenbeck of Altadena, Calif.; Susan Wiedenbeck of Merion, Pa.; Peter Wiedenbeck of Olivette, Mo.; Jan Wiedenbeck of Blacksburg, Va.; Michael Wiedenbeck of Potsdam, Germany. He also is survived by his sister, Rose Arns of Buffalo, N.Y.
A memorial fund has been established at the University of Michgan to benefit the Department of Physics. At the family’s request, checks made payable to the University of Michigan can be sent to the Marcellus L. Wiedenbeck Fund, College of LS&A, Office of Development and External Relations, 524 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2921.
(Submitted by the family)
