Marietta College lost an endeared, respected member of its family recently.
Dr. Cavendish McKay, Associate Professor of Physics, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 11.
Full arrangements have not yet been released, but the family has planned a service for 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 24, at the building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located at 1503 Glendale Road in Marietta. There are no official calling hours, and friends and colleagues may arrive early to the service to meet with the McKay family. A campus memorial service will likely take place after the start of fall semester to allow current students, faculty and staff to attend.
“Our prayers are with Cavendish’s wife, Sarah, their five children, the entire McKay family, friends and members of the Marietta College community,” said Marietta College President Bill Ruud. “We are all saddened to lose such a caring and devoted member of our community.”
Dr. Dennis Kuhl, Professor of Physics, honored his colleague in an email he sent to alumni and friends of the Physics program at Marietta this week.
“Dr. McKay was a wonderful teacher and a brilliant physicist,” Kuhl said. “He had a passion for classroom teaching, often incorporating the latest advances from physics education research as well as his own creative ideas. He was a recipient of the college’s Innovative Teaching Award. As a scientist, he brought valuable expertise in computational physics to our program.”
Kuhl said Dr. McKay presented his research regionally, nationally and internationally, and also served as the Chair of the Physics Department for two years. He mentored students through their capstone and summer research projects, and was committed to involving his students in his research.
“His past students readily attest to the importance of the skills they acquired through working with him. He also taught broadly at the College, including first year seminar and honors courses on such diverse topics as scientific ethics, inquiry in science, and food,” Kuhl said. “On a more personal note, Cavendish was a great colleague and a good friend. He was a terrific conversationalist. I will miss his sense of humor.”
Dr. McKay joined the faculty in 2006.
“Cavendish was a dedicated teacher, a thoughtful colleague, and a good friend to so many on campus,” said Provost Janet Bland. “We are stunned at his sudden passing, and as our hearts go out to his family in this time of profound loss, we are also aware of all that he contributed to the College and our students and how much we will miss him.”
A link to Dr. McKay’s full obituary can be found at http://lankfordfh.com/obituary/dr-cavendish-mckay/