Erwin Emerson Dr. Morse

Dr. E. Emerson Morse

Berlina"Dr. Erwin Emerson Morse,98, passed away Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 in Berlin, NH after a brief illness.

He was born October 6, 1915 in Willimantic, CT, son of Erwin Emerson and Julia Maude Lathrop Morse. He was graduated from Newton High School, Newton MA in 1932, Bowdoin College in 1936, cum laude. He received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1940 at the University of California, Berkeley in the laboratory of Prof. G.N. Lewis. He was elected to the honorary societies Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi.

Dr. Morse started his career at Spreckels Sugar Company in Woodland CA as a research scientist from 1940-48 and moved to Gorham NH as a research chemist at Brown Company, advancing to research director of the Berlin labs, retiring in 1984. He received U.S. patents in the areas of sugar technology, wet strength resins for paper towels, and cellulose derivatives including the first crystallized cellulose, sold as "Solka Floc". He published papers in a number of international scientific journals and contributed to several technical books.

He served New Hampshire as a member of the State Advisory Council on Engineering 1959-69, and was recognized by President Johnson with a Personnel Award. He is listed in American Men of Science, Who's Who and New Hampshire Notables.

Dr. Morse is survived by his wife of 70 years Vivian Webb Morse, two sons David Lathrop Morse and James Emerson Morse, 6 grandchildren and 1 nephew. He was pre-deceased by his brother Roland Morse (1969) and his sister Myrtle Barden (2011).

A private service will be held at Fleury-Patry Funeral Home on Friday, October 3, 2014.