OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT November 15, 1954. To Members of the Faculty:
Dr. William Henry Kadesch, Professor Emeritus of Physics, passed away at his home at Alamosa, Colorado, where he had been teaching in Adams State College since his retirement from service here in 1949. The report indicated that he died of a heart attack Saturday night. Dr. Kadesch came to Iowa State Teachers College in 1921 from Calvert School, Annapolis, Maryland, and was a very highly respected and exceedingly capable member of the staff for many years. Survivors besides Mrs. Kadesch are the three sons, Richard, Robert, and John. No definite information has been received concerning burial services. However, if services are to be held locally, members of the Science Department and others who so desire may be excused from class work to attend the service
Sincerely yours, J. W. Maucker, President
Minutes of the Faculty Meeting December 13, 1954 Docket No. 513
The Faculty met at 4:15 p.m., on Monday, December 13, 1954, in the Gilchrist Chapel, Dean Nelson presiding. Mr. M. R. Thompson read the following resolution concerning Dr. Kadesch and moved that a copy be spread upon the minutes of the Faculty and copies be sent to the widow and sons of Dr. Kadesch. It was seconded and passed unanimously. WILLIAM HENRY KADESCH The ideal teacher places service above salary; he exemplifies those intellectual, moral, and spiritual qualities which inspire and motivate his pupils and colleagues. If such criteria may be used in measuring the worth of a teacher, then Dr. W. H. Kadesch would rate a "summa cum laude" in the teaching profession. No associate ever found Dr. Kadesch to be unkind, insincere, or critical; no student of his was ever embarrassed by sarcasm, irritability, or unjust criticism. In all his social, professional, and business dealings he was the soul of courtesy, dignity and sympathetic understanding. Dr. Kadesch gave freely and unselfishly of his time, strength, and good judgment to every phase of college activities where he was needed. As a committee member, as a counselor, and as an academic adviser he exhibited that skill, tact, and adherence to principles that made him sought after in the life of the college. William Henry Kadesch was born In Grand Rapids, Ohio, on February 2, 1879. He obtained his early education in the public schools of Ohio and at the Ohio Wesleyan University. This University awarded him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1906 and in 1915 he received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago. He was elected both to Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi. Previous to his association with Iowa State Teachers College, Dr. Kadesch taught in high schools in Ohio and at Walden University, Nashville, Tennessee. He joined our faculty as assistant professor of physics in 1910, was advanced to full professor in 1911, and taught here continuously until his retirement at the age of seventy, in 1949, except for eight years when he taught at the United States Naval Academy and at Calvert School in Annapolis, Maryland. Upon his retirement from Iowa State Teachers College, he was appointed professor of physics at Adams State College, Alamosa, Colorado, where he passed away on November 14th, 1954. He is survived by his wife, the former Mary Barnum, whom he married in 1916, and by three sons, Richard, Robert and John. Dr. Kadesch was co-author of a college textbook, The Physical Sciences, and author of a number of technical papers that appeared in the Physical Review. He was a long-time member of the athletic board and served on many committees of the college. His professional connections included the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Iowa State Teachers Association, Iowa Association of Science Teachers, American Association of Science Teachers, and the Iowa Academy of Science of which he was president in 1948-1949. He was a member of the College Hill Interdenominational church and of the Masonic order. In the passing of Dr. Kadesch, the teaching profession lost a skilled and devoted member and his host of friends, a loyal and sincere associate. Your committee recommends that a copy of this appreciation be spread upon the minutes of the faculty and that copies be sent to the wife and sons.
M. R. Thompson M. J. Wilcox R. W. Getchell, Chairman