David Karraker

David Karraker, 91, passed away Friday, February 27, 2015. Born August 17, 1923, in Anna, Illinois, he was the oldest son of the late Wallace and Margaret Browne Karraker. His undergraduate studies at Southern Illinois University were interrupted by service in the US Army during World War II. He completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry at SIU and completed his PhD in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley where he met and married his late wife of 62 years, Mildred. He worked at Argonne National Laboratory and then Oak Ridge National Laboratory before beginning at Savannah River National Laboratory in 1953 where he worked for 53 years. He was an internationally known specialist in actinide chemistry and was awarded the Glenn T. Seaborg Award in 1999. He had an active life enjoying tennis, duplicate bridge, jazz, reading, raising camellias, and many travels overseas.

He is survived by a son Mark (Mary Margaret) of Minneapolis, MN, daughters Emily (Ken) Owens of Downers Grove, IL, and Frances French of San Diego, CA. He is also survived by six granddaughters, Hannah Owens (Peter Hosner), Amelia Karraker (Samuel Isaacson), Frances Owens, Madeline French, Rosemary French, and Miriam Karraker. He is also survived by two sisters, Lois Finney of Winnetka, IL and Jane Spink (Sam) of Naples, FL. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two brothers Gordon Karraker and Robert Karraker, and son-in-law James French.

The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2015 at GEORGE FUNERAL HOME. Flowers are respectfully asked to be omitted, and memorial contributions may be made to chemistry department at Southern Illinois University or The University of California at Berkeley, or to the charity of one's choice. Interment will be private.