Dr. Alan Rodgman

Dr. Alan Rodgman passed away on December 16, 2013. He was born February 7, 1924 in Aberdare, Glamorgan County, Wales to Arch and Margaret Llewellyn Rodgman. The family moved from the United Kingdom to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1928. In 1940 he met his wife to be, Doris Curley. They went on their first date in 1941, married in 1947 and were a devoted couple throughout his life. He entered the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942 as an Ordinary Coder and was discharged in late 1945 as a Petty Officer (electronics). In 1945 Rodgman entered the University of Toronto. In June 1947 Alan and Doris were married in St. John's Chapel of St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, and they had three Toronto-born sons: Eric, Paul and Mark. In 1953 he received his Doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the University of Toronto. In 1954 Dr. Rodgman joined the Research Department, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem, NC where by year-end 1954 he initiated its research on cigarette smoke composition. He also personally conducted and actively directed environmental tobacco smoke research thereafter until 1987. He became Director of Research in 1976. During the span of his career, he served on the Editorial Board of Tobacco Science, the Council for Tobacco Research, the CORESTA Scientific Commission and several U.S. government tobacco-related committees. He was a member of the Chemical Institute of Canada and the American Chemical Society for 60 years and a member of the New York Academy of Sciences for 40 years. Dr. Rodgman published numerous scientific papers on tobacco smoke composition and served as a reviewer for tobacco-related manuscripts. In 2003 Dr. Rodgman was awarded the inaugural Tobacco Science Research Conference Lifetime Achievement Award for his tobacco-related research and activities. In late 2008 he co-authored The Chemical Components of Tobacco and Tobacco Smoke. The authors jointly received the 2010 CORESTA Award. Since 1954 Dr. Rodgman attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Winston Salem. He also served for 20 years on the Board of Directors of the Winston-Salem National Little League. Dr. Rodgman was predeceased by his father, Arch, in 1934 and his mother, Margaret, in 1980, his granddaughter, Christine Rodgman in 1983 and his grandson, Colin Rodgman in 1991. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Doris Curley Rodgman, and their three sons: Eric and wife, Melody of Durham, Paul and wife, Ella of Raleigh, and Mark and wife, Sara of Winston-Salem; seven grandchildren: Melissa and husband, Jason Sholtz, of Durham, Kevin Rodgman of Durham, Mary Kathryn Rodgman of Durham, Jason and wife, Meridith Rodgman of Raleigh, Laura Kelly and husband, Justin Lancaster of Cary, Scott Rodgman of Greensboro and Samuel Rodgman of Chapel Hill; and two great grandchildren: Ryan Lancaster of Cary and Colin Sholtz of Durham. A private service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem on January 4, 2014. A visitation with the family will follow from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Colhoun Rooms B/C at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 520 Summit Street, Winston-Salem NC 27101. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Second Harvest Food Bank, 3655 Reed Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27107.

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