The Chemist & The Technician

About the Book

Initially, the would-be chemist cites a nostalgic account of his early years, even including peanut butter fudge recipes. When the historical account of ancestors is given, it is noted that the Underground Railroad was a part of the story. Considerable space was given to the life in the 1920-1930's on a farm where mixed farming was practiced. His work after college took him first to New York, NY and then to Oak Ridge, TN, which was later known as "The Atomic City." He met and married a technician who became a lifetime mate. The historical account of her ancestors include participants in the Clarke Illinois campaign, the King's Mountain, SC battle of the Revolutionary War and Col. William Leander Graham and his cavalry episodes during the Civil War.

The children of the authors included a son, John, and a daughter, Lisa. The memoir features a brief mention of mental health as it relates to John's care. A religious analog to the oval and the circle is given which was an outgrowth of a trip to Tulane University in New Orleans, LA when Lisa received her MBA as well as Master in Public Health. The chemist's work experience covered the UF6 gaseous diffusion plant, the chlorofluoro compounds used as refrigerants and propellants, the oxidation of cumene to its hydroperoxide in the manufacture of phenol, the manufacture of benzaldehyde and also the indexing and editing for the chemical publications of the Institute of Scientific Information.

A primer for the growing of flowers for drying is presented. Preservation methods are covered in detail. The presentation of the dried flowers is covered in detail by describing the making of a Williamsburg arrangement, the making of artemisia and grapevine wreaths, pot pourri and tussie mussies.

About the Author

Sheldon Frey was born in Wheelerville, PA on April 29, 1921. He obtained a BS in Chemistry from Penn State in 1943, an MS in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee in 1950, and the PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1953. While working for Carbide and Carbon Chem. Corp., he met and married Uva Gillespie at Oak Ridge, TN in 1947. Their children include a son and a daughter. In 1943, he worked for the Kellex Corp., first in New York, NY and then Oak Ridge, TN on the Manhattan Project. He also worked with Carbide and Carbon at the K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant. He joined DuPont in 1953 and worked on chlorofluorocarbons and dyestuffs. In 1962, he joined Allied Chemical and did research on the cumene process for phenol. He participated in the post-Agnes Hurricane cleanup in Wiles Barre, PA area in 1972. In 1973, he joined Monroe Chemical Co., manufacturers of benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol. In 1983, he joined the Chemical Information Division of the Institute of Scientific Information from which he retired in 2002, at the age of 81. He served on the Burlington County Mental Health Board, NJ and is active in the Presbyterian Church. Other activities include gardening, an activity shared with his wife.

About the Co-Author
Uva Gillespie was born in Pounding Mill, VA on November 18, 1921. She attended both Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Radford College. In an NYA (National Youth Adm.) program she taught underprivileged girls homemaking skills. She became a laboratory technician at the Radford Ordinance Plant and when the plant closed she went to Oak Ridge. At K-25 she worked as a technician in the Industrial Hygiene laboratory. She met and married Sheldon Frey. At the University of Illinois she became an Assistant in the Animal Nutrition Department a position she held while they remained there. The marriage resulted with a son and a daughter. It was a family decision that she would stay at home rather than seek a job. She utilized her free time among other things being creative. She realized her creative calling in growing, preserving and exhibiting of the preserved flowers. She learned to grow cotton in South Jersey. She has made many Williamsburg arrangements, artemisia and grapevine wreaths and tussie mussies. At craft shows her items were on demand. Many orders were filled by individual requests.