Obituary of Paul Slayton Dimick

Paul Slayton Dimick, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in the College of Agricultural Sciences, passed away on May 25, 2023, at Mount Nittany Medical Center. Paul was born on September 15, 1935, in Burlington, Vermont to Evelyn Slayton and Trafford Goodwin Dimick. Paul attended the University of Vermont and graduated with a B.Sc. in Dairy Manufacturing in 1958 and a M.Sc. in Dairy Science in 1960. Following his M.Sc. degree he served in the US Army Artillery, Air Defense Command and obtained the rank of Captain, and received an Honorable Discharge. In 1964, he received his Ph.D. in Dairy Science/Biochemistry from The Pennsylvania State University and joined the faculty that same year.

Since his arrival at Penn State, he taught 15 courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, of which he developed five. His teaching responsibilities in the Department of Food Science allowed him to interact with approximately 3,200 students. He adapted his Food Chemistry course for television which was distributed to the main campus and the Penn State Medical School in Hershey, PA. As a senior member of the Graduate Faculty, he served as the major Professor for 36 M.Sc. and Ph.D. candidates in Food Science, and 6 Post Doctoral students. Dr. Dimick's research emphasis was on the metabolic origin of flavor constituents in food systems with emphasis on lipid metabolism, photochemical effects on milk, cocoa production and processing, and lipid crystal growth. He published over 200 peer reviewed scientific publications, 72 abstracts and over 60 symposia. These included presentations in the US, England, France, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dr. Dimick received the 1991 Outstanding Professor Award sponsored by the Eastern Region of the Institute of Food Technologists. He also received the Gamma Sigma Delta Award in Agriculture, Sigma Xi Research Award, and Phi Lambda Upsilon Chemistry Award. He served on the University Graduate Council, the University Faculty Advisory Committee on Sabbatical Leaves, and the Committee to develop a performance, evaluation, and counseling instrument for the College of Agricultural Sciences. He played a significant role in the formation of the Department of Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State.

Paul is survived by Patricia L. Lantman who he married on April 6, 1958, in Hinesburg, VT. They were happily married for 65 years and are parents of three children. Daniel (Nannette) of Auburn, AL, their children; Paul (Trish) of Auburn, AL, and Lisa of Valley Village, CA; Thomas (Gloria) of State College, PA, and sons, Tyler and Thomas; Jeanne Dutrow (Melvin) of Centre Hall, PA, and their three sons, Andrew (Mattie), Thomas (Megan), and Steven (Paige). He was blessed with eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother David (Sandra) of Knoxville, TN, and their two sons, Timothy and John.

Paul was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed several hobbies. He was an active Amateur Radio Operator (Ham) with the call signs WA3ZPW and K3PSD and enjoyed talking to other Ham operators around the world. He was a member of the Nittany Amateur Radio Club. He also spent many years in the shooting sports (skeet, trap and sporting clays). Paul played ice hockey until the age of 50 with the Nittany Hockey League. Other activities included skiing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, and camping. He was a Boy Scout leader of Troop 380 for 7 years and immensely proud of his 2 sons and 3 grandsons who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He enjoyed gardening and wood carving in his spare time. In retirement, Paul and Pat enjoyed traveling in their RV and spent the winter months in Naples, FL, for 15 years before returning to their home in Centre Hall, PA.

He was a 58-year member of the St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College.

Visitation will be held on Monday, June 5th from 1:00 - 2:30pm at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton Street, State College. Memorial Services will follow at 2:30pm.

A private burial will be at Boalsburg Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Paul S. Dimick Graduate Student Award in Food Science at https://raise.psu.edu/DimickAward.

Online condolences may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com