Sol Raboy, professor emeritus of physics at Binghamton University and a member of the Endwell community, died Dec. 27, 2009 at the age of 89.
Raboy joined the BU physics department in 1965, after working as a research physicist at the Argonne National Laboratory for 14 years.
At BU, he served as chairman of the department, and although he retired in 1990, he continued to conduct research and publish papers for many years after.
“He had a number of very successful Ph.D. students who graduated under him,” said Jim Brownridge, nuclear instrumentation specialist and radiation safety officer at BU who was first recruited to the University by Raboy.
After his retirement, Raboy continued to conduct research at BU, working with Brownridge to produce a new type of X-ray generator through the use of pyroelectric crystals.
“He treated everyone equally,” Brownridge said. “It was quite enjoyable to work with him. [He was] not an overbearing director in the lab. Even after his retirement he would come in and continue research and the last few years I would have lunch with him and discuss the research I was conducting. He was very excited about what was going on.”
Raboy is survived by his sister and seven children — including Dara Raboy Picciano, a social worker at the University Counseling Center — their spouses and 13 grandchildren and step-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6 at a time and location to be announced.
Donations can be made in his honor to the Southern Poverty Law Center at www.splcenter.org/donate.