James David Blackhall "Dave" Smith

JAMES DAVID BLACKHALL SMITH SMITH, James David “Dave” Blackhall, 83, unexpectedly passed away at home in Monroeville on April 26, 2023. He was born on April 25, 1940, in Peterhead, Scotland. Dave is survived by his wife, Paula (Mulvehill), of 42 years; two children, James David Bryan Smith and Dr. Alison Annette Smith (Edward) Ready; and two grandchildren, Evangeline “Eva” and Edward “Teddy” Ready. He was the third of four children of Marion (MacQueen) and James Smith in Peterhead, Scotland. He is also survived by three sisters, Heather (Raymond) Bisset, in Inverurie, Scotland; Margaret (John) Fraser, in Peterhead, Scotland; and a younger sister, Morag (George) Blance, in Orkney, Scotland; two nephews, Neil (Anna) Blance, and children, Molly, Angus and Jean; and Graham (Sue) Blance, and children, Kathryn and Adam. As the first born son, he was named after his father in the lineage of the third “James” as his paternal grandfather was also James Smith. His paternal grandmother was Georgina (Barclay) Smith; and his maternal grandparents were John Archibald MacQueen and Christina May Stephen MacQueen. Grandmother MacQueen was from Boddam, near Peterhead, and Grandfather MacQueen was from Benbecula Uist, an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of Scotland. Benbecula, “Beinn na Faoghla” in Gaelic, means “Mountain of the Ford” which is named for the island and its single hill, Reuval (Ruabhal). After graduating from high school with high honors, he enrolled in the esteemed Aberdeen University, Scotland, and earned a degree in chemistry with First Class Honors and a PhD degree in polymer chemistry. He received a Fulbright Fellowship to Syracuse University in New York, United States, and sailed on the Queen Mary from England to the US in 1966. When he finished his fellowship he sailed from the US to England on the Queen Elizabeth, the sister ship of the Queen Mary, in 1967. He returned to his position in Luton, England, before deciding to relocate to the US to reside and work. While interviewing at the DuPont Corporation in Wilmington, Delaware, he was recruited by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Research and Development, in Pittsburgh, Pa. He interviewed in Pittsburgh and accepted a position as a research chemist with Westinghouse in 1968. He became a US citizen in 1974. While working for Westinghouse Electric Corporation for 30 years as a research scientist and manager in the chemical sciences division, he had the opportunity to interact with scientists in companies and universities in Pittsburgh and the US. He presented scientific papers at international conferences in countries that included: Germany, Japan, Ireland, England and Canada. His prolific accomplishments include being awarded 140 patents during his career, mostly in the Power Generation Unit of Westinghouse, to develop better electrical insulation for large motors and turbine generators used in utility power plants. He also developed special, high performance plastic electrical insulation for the US Navy for motor components in nuclear powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Although he received numerous awards and patents with Westinghouse, he always acknowledged the contributions of co-inventors to develop new products for Westinghouse and society. He believed his work contributed to a better quality of life for everyone by keeping large generators producing electrical power in operation. Dave retired in 2003 after Westinghouse integrated with Siemens Corporation. He provided consulting work for Siemens for the following 10 years. In 2018 he was honored with a 50-Year Membership Award by the American Chemical Society. Dave enjoyed spending time with his wife, Paula and family. He was interested in scientific research, history and travel. He often sang Scottish melodies to their grandchildren, Eva and Teddy. He found pleasure in vegetable gardening and adored their Scottish terrier, Seumas, and Tonkinese cat, Minou. Friends will be received on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. followed by a brief Blessing service presided by the Rev. Anthony Ditto, Mother of Sorrows Church, Murrysville, at GENE H. CORL FUNERAL CHAPEL INC. AND CREMATION SERVICES OF MONROEVILLE, 4335 Northern Pike, Monroeville. Internment will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 11:30 a.m. at East Oak Grove Cemetery, 1291 Dorsey Avenue, Morgantown, WV. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dave’s memory may be made to the American Chemical Society (https://www.acs.org/donate. html). Condolences may be made at www.corlfuneralchapel.com.