Lemonick, longtime faculty member and administrator, dies

Aaron Lemonick, a physicist, gifted teacher and longtime University administrator who played a pivotal role in building Princeton's faculty, died Thursday, June 19, at age 80.

Lemonick, whose association with Princeton began as a graduate student in the early 1950s, served as dean of the Graduate School from 1969 to 1973 and then as dean of the faculty from 1973 to 1989. His great personal warmth and deep devotion to excellence in teaching and research helped drive an important period of strengthening and growth of the University's faculty in both the sciences and the humanities.

Throughout his career, Lemonick was a dedicated teacher, whose bold classroom style and caring mentorship inspired generations of physicists as well as non-scientists. He worked until shortly before his death on preparations for this summer's Quest program, a series of workshops for elementary and middle school science teachers in which he planned to lead a unit on astronomy.

"For five decades Aaron Lemonick was one of the most beloved members of the Princeton family, as a graduate student, teacher, physicist and dean," said President Shirley M. Tilghman. "He was one of our most gifted teachers of students, of alumni, of school teachers and others, and he played a central role in shaping the Princeton of the late 20th and early 21st century. He embodied the principles and values to which we aspire as a University and was a warm and genuine friend to many Princetonians. We will miss him greatly."

A memorial service on campus will be planned for the fall. Donations may be made to the Friends of the Princeton Public Library.

More information is available in a news release.

Contact: Eric Quinones (609) 258-3601