Richard B. Valley obituary

Dr. Richard B. Valley, Western Michigan University professor emeritus of paper and printing science and engineering, died Nov. 12. He was 85.

Valley, of Portage, Mich., came to WMU in 1977 to chair the Department of Paper and Printing Science and Engineering, a position he held until joining the faculty full time in 1988. He retired in 1989 after more than 11 years of service to the University.

During his tenure as chair, Valley oversaw several important developments within his nationally known department, now named Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Imaging. Among them was a $2.1 million addition to McCracken Hall in the mid-1980s that allowed the department to expand into teaching and research on modern methods of non-polluting papermaking processes.

As chair, Valley also served as executive head of the Paper Technology Foundation, an industry foundation that supports the department, and was responsible for WMU's industrial research-oriented paper pilot plant.

He began his career at the Eastman Kodak Paper Co. in 1955, leaving as senior development engineer in 1964. He then worked in several technical and management positions for Owens-Illinois before joining WMU.

Valley was a member of the Paper Industry Management Association and a past chair of the local section of its Michigan affiliate. He also was a member of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry and a leader for many years in this association's Kalamazoo affiliate. He earned a bachelor's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and master's and doctoral degrees from the Institute of Paper Chemistry.

Remembrances

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, in St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 929 E. Centre Ave., Portage. Friends may visit with the family at the church from 5  to 6 p.m.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Visit langelands.com to make a memorial guestbook entry.