IN HONOR OF DR. J.R. KITTRELL
Dr. James Raymond Kittrell, age 82, of Amherst, MA, passed peacefully, surrounded and held by his beloved family on August 26, 2023.
Dr. Kittrell was born on October 28, 1940, to Raymond and Dorothy (Wheeler) Kittrell in Arkansas City, KS. James was predeceased by his parents, Raymond and Dorothy, his brother Kenneth, sister Sarah, and son Gregory James. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and cherished wife, Ruth; their children, Jeffrey Alan (Susan), Keith Douglas (Annaliese), Scott Andrew (Jennifer), Dianne Elizabeth (Andrew); and 13 grandchildren.
James was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who prioritized family. He especially valued education in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives. He was very involved in youth sports and supported his children’s diverse activities wherever those activities took them. James was a President of the Amherst Youth Hockey Association and former troop leader of the local Boy Scouts of America chapter. He was always quick to comfort, quick to support, and slow to judge whenever life’s crossroads led the family down alternate pathways. James was hard-working, brilliant, loving, and could command any room’s attention with his seriousness and infectious laughter. There were never more important people in a room than his grandchildren, and the family he created with the love of his life, Ruth, was genuinely the joy of his life.
Dr. Kittrell graduated from Arkansas City High School in 1958, then attended Oklahoma State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1962. He then attended the University of Wisconsin, earning a Master of Science, PhD, and completing post-doctoral studies in chemical engineering in 1965. His career started with Standard Oil of California (Chevron) in 1965, working in their San Francisco research division and, subsequently their Los Angeles oil refining division. He accepted a position as a Professor of Chemical Engineering at The University of Massachusetts in 1971, rising to tenured faculty until he and his wife Ruth founded KSE, Incorporated in 1977, which continues in operation today.
KSE specializes in consulting services and technology research and development with Dr. Kittrell recognized as an expert in industrial forensic analysis. Dr. Kittrell has published over 100 technical articles and is an inventor on over 60 U.S. patents in the petroleum processing, environmental remediation, and chemicals industries. He has consulted in petroleum processing in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Venezuela, Britain, and France. He consulted for the Queen’s Royal Commission on Petroleum and wrote the refining section of the Australian National Petroleum Strategy. He has taught Petroleum Refining at the University of Massachusetts and to OPEC representatives. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, the Air & Waste Management Association, ASHRE, and the National Fire Protection Association. He is a Principal and Advising Member of the NFPA Technical Committee on Transportation of Flammable Liquids. He has received numerous competitive awards for advanced scientific and commercial studies under various U.S. government agency Small Business Innovation Research programs. One of his inventions received the R&D 100 Award as one of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year, termed “The Oscars of Invention” by the Chicago Tribune. KSE received the SBIR Technology of the Year Award for Environment, Energy & Resource Management. The Company was also recognized with the U.S. EPA Environmental Innovator Technology Award and a second SBIR R&D 100 Award.
Dr. Kittrell was actively working at the company he built and loved until his last days and was awarded his final patent in July of this year for manufacturing bio-based plastics.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in his honor at Memorium
We want to thank the Cooley Dickinson Hospice team and all the health care professionals for their tender care and compassion during this challenging time. Our family would also like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation for everyone’s prayers, love, and support.
Your Legacy Lives On….May you Rest in Peace