Dr. Hollis Philip Leighly Jr.

Dr. Hollis Philip Leighly Jr., of Rolla passed away Saturday, August 28 at the Phelps County Regional Medical Center at the age of 81.

He was born in Illinois on May 28, 1923 to the late Hollis Philip and Bessie (Haworth) Leighly. On August 31, 1951 he married Elizabeth Peterson, who survives.

Mr. Leighly was a U.S. Army Veteran having served in the 255th Infantry 63rd Division in Europe during WWII where he earned the Bronze Star for Valor.

He received his Ph.D.. from the Department of materials science and Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1952, specializing in Metallurgical Engineering. After attending Reactor School in Oakridge, TN, he worked in Detroit, MI and the University of Denver Research Institute before joining the University of Missouri, Rolla Department of Metallurgical Engineering in 1960. He was a devoted teacher and dedicated scholar. He held visiting positions in the University of East Anglia Norwich, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, among others. In 1996, he and his students performed experiments, and published results on samples of metal salvaged from the wreckage of the Titanic. He retired from UMR in 1992.

Mr. Leighly's surviving family members include his wife Elizabeth; one son, David Leighly and wife Carole, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota; one daughter, Karen Leighly, of Norman, Oklahoma; a sister, Elisabeth Denton, of Illinois; one grandson, Ian Leighly, nieces, nephews, other extended family members, and friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 31, 2004 at the Null & Son Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Stanton Cemetery near Fithian, IL on Wednesday. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 5-7 p.m. this evening, Monday, August 30 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Parkinson's Research Center. All arrangements are under the direction of the Null & Son Funeral Home in Rolla.