Eric A. GRULKE ., PhD, husband of Virginia Lerch Grulke, passed away Friday, November 29, 2019 at his home. Dr. Grulke was born in Lakewood, Ohio to the late Carl and Elizabeth Hegele Grulke. Dr. Grulke was a University of Kentucky Professor in Chemical and Materials Engineering, and received his BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University. Other family members who survive include a son, Evan (Lauren) Grulke, Denver, CO; a daughter, Kristin Grulke, San Diego, CA; two brothers, David (Cheryl) Grulke and Bruce Grulke; one sister, Nancy Grulke; one aunt, Ruth Hegele and several cousins, nieces and nephews. He was a member and past board chair of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington. During Dr. Grulke's 45-year career, he authored more than one hundred eighty articles in leading scientific journals and mentored students to forty-five graduate degrees. Throughout his academic career, his research program collaborated with researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and received funding from such government agencies as the Department of Energy, NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and numerous corporations. He was awarded four U.S. patents, and was a registered Professional Engineer. He was an evaluator of chemical engineering programs for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and served on review panels for agencies such as DOE, NSF, NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He held professional memberships in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, American Society of Engineering Education, and MRS (Materials Research Society). Most recently, Dr. Grulke's research interests became focused on nanomaterials. He was a member of the ANSI-Accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the ISO Technical Committee (TC) 229 which sets global standards for nanotechnology measurement and instrumentation. In 2019 he received a Meritorious Service Award from ANSI for his work in developing international standards for nanomaterials. Dr. Grulke served as chair of the University of Kentucky Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for the College of Engineering, the Director of the Engineering Electron Microscopy Center, Assistant Director of the Center for Applied Energy Research, and the statewide Director of Kentucky DOE EPSCOR. In his spare time, Dr. Grulke enjoyed working on his small farm and riding his horse. A Celebration of Life will be held in January on the University of Kentucky campus. Memorial contributions are suggested to Eastern Kentucky University School of Music Horn Studio, or to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington. Kerr Brothers Funeral Home Harrodsburg Rd. are handling the arrangements.
Published in Lexington Herald-Leader on Dec. 4, 2019
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kentucky/obituary.aspx?n=eric-a-grulke&pid=194620384&fhid=4756
Tom Bates
Eric was one of my two best friends in high school. We became friends when we first met at Roehm in 7th grade. Eric lead a very full life...from BHS where he was President of the Student Council, First Chair Coronet in the band, and possibly top player on the tennis team...oh, yes, and Valedictorian. He went to Ohio State where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and got his PhD in Chemical Engineering, then went to do research for a couple of years at BF Goodrich. He then went to teach at Michigan State and while there he also spent a year as Dean and another year in Washington as the scientific advisor to one of Michigan's senators. Then he went to Kentucky where he continued teaching as well as mentoring graduate students and conducting research. He was active in the Unitarian Church and a local choral group in Lexington. He will be missed.
Barbara Freeburn (Harshey)
I will miss Eric very much. I never remember a time of not knowing him and remember many times of playing at his home with he and his brother, David. I will never forget one time asking Eric he would would tutor me in Physics and of course he did. He was great as he never became upset when I could not grasp the concept of the problem. He was fantastic. I remembering one time thinking he was the only person I knew that was able to grasp and conquer everything the teachers taught. Unfortunately, we lost contact with each other when he graduated from OSU with his Phd. Rest in peace and in God's loving arms.
Peggy Treiber
So it was ninth grade, at Roehm Junior High, and I was struggling to play third-chair cornet in the band, while Eric Grulke was smoothly and easily playing first chair. "I've Grown Accustomed to her Face," I believe, is what we were working on, and, of course, he had the melody. I was mesmerized. And I realized I had a crush on him. But I was too shy to speak up.
Everything seemed to come so effortlessly for him, and I admired and envied that.
Now, of course, I realize that nothing is easy for teenagers, and appearances are deceiving.
But it is strange to think of him as body-less while I make plans to remain in mine another 25 to 30 years.
I never wholly got over my crush in high school, even though I full intended to enter the convent after graduation. I even had an acceptance letter from the convent in Youngstown. It was senior year and I was dating Tom Bates but the TWIRP dance was coming (remember? The Woman is Requested to Pay) and I saw this as my last and only chance to connect with Eric, to figure out how he worked, how he did it all so seamlessly. And I invited him, much to the chagrin of Tom and my friends. And he said yes.
My dad was our driver that night. Picked him up at his house. Went to the dance. Spent very little time together that night. And, of course, I didn't get to know him any better than I already did. He was gracious and kind and we took him home and that was that. And Tom and I went to prom.
I suppose that dance got me over any crush, but I always held a special place for him. I quit the cornet after that year, but I will always remember him in band practice. I' grew accustomed to his face.
Charlene Keesy (Hanchak)
Eric lived down the street and around the corner from our house on Fourth Ave. Funny the things you remember. I recall visiting his house and being puzzled by this appliance called a microwave oven. It was many years before I remember that technology being a common practice.
Even in those high school years, I remember Eric as a very intense and driven learner. That intensity served him well throughout his life as demonstrated by his contributions to science and his church. Glad to have known him and glad to have seen him at our 50th. I felt a closeness to his health challenges since they had some similarities to those of my dad. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Diane Merritt
Eric Grulke's administrator at the university forwarded this additional information regarding a program on January 24, 2020 to honor and celebrate the life of our BHS '67 classmate, Dr. Eric A. Grulke. As Tom Bates mentioned, Eric was the President of Student Council, our Class Valedictorian, and a cornet playing, National Honor Society academic whiz kid. Clearly his notable scientific career continued. Many of us were happy that Eric was able to make an appearance at our 50th Class Reunion with his lovely wife Ginny. True to his work ethic, he missed our Friday evening gathering because "he had to teach a class" but was able to rally and drive up on Saturday from Kentucky to cruise on Lake Erie allowing us to reminisce. His dear wife, Ginny Grulke can be reached at ginny.grulke@gmail.com. The world has lost a true gentleman, and brilliant academician, loving husband, father, mentor and friend. Rest in peace Eric. You will be remembered. Diane Merritt