VCU news

Lawrence Winters, Ph.D., former chair of the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, died June 1.

Winters joined VCU in 1972, succeeding Mary Kapp as the chair of the Department of Chemistry. He served as chair of chemistry from 1972 to 1983 and from 1988 to 1995, and retired from VCU in 1996. Prior to joining VCU, Winters served on the chemistry faculty at Drexel University. He received his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and completed his Ph.D. at Kansas University. He also did post-doctorate study at Florida State University.

Winters’ specialization was organic chemistry, and he had a passion for teaching. He was instrumental in the growth of chemistry into one of VCU’s largest undergraduate majors and a highly respected research department. During Winters’ tenure as chair, Nobel Prize-winner John Fenn joined the chemistry department.

Winters was a native of Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Honora Ann Murphy, three children and nine grandchildren. The family has requested that gifts in Winters’ memory be made to the Department of Chemistry through the VCU Foundation.

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