Alfred C. Webber, 104, of Birmingham Township, died in his home on Aug. 8.
Born in Lisbon Falls, Maine on Oct. 10, 1907, Alfred was the son of Hattie Louise (nee Littlefield) and Chester Elton Webber. Al was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Margaret F. Vaughan.
He is survived by his children, David and Alfred Jr. of Birmingham Township, Philip of Marlton, N.J. and Judith Stark (James) of Pittsburgh. He is also survived by four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Al graduated from Lisbon Falls High School, Bates College, and Boston University where he received a master’s degree in 1940. He started his career as an educator, teaching science in high schools in Franklin and Brookline, Mass. In 1942 he joined the DuPont Company’s Plastic Department Research Laboratory in Arlington, N.J., where he set up the company’s first Physical Measurements Laboratory. When that department was moved to the Experimental Station in Wilmington, Al followed. He developed standardized test methods for comparison of products in research and development throughout the company. Al was president of the American Society of Testing and Materials in 1962 and was the plastics chairman of the International Standards Organization. He became a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, was awarded the International Award by the Society of Plastics Engineers, and the ASTM Award of Merit. He retired from DuPont in 1972.
He was very active in the community establishing Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops, working on Chadds Ford May Fairs and reunions. He served on the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board, was active with the Chadds Ford Historical Society, and was a judge of elections in Birmingham Township. He became a director emeritus of the Kennett Symphony Orchestra of Chester County.
His hobbies of stamp collecting, gardening, astronomy, photography and lapidary filled his retirement years. Most of all, he enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of these things. He was a life member of the Delaware Astronomical Society where he received the Luther J. Porter Educator Award, a Fellow of Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory, a life member of The Tuscarora Lapidary Society, and an honorary member of the Delaware Photographic Society. He was a brother of the Granite-Corinthian Lodge No. 34, serving as a Mason for 81 years.
He proudly returned at age 100 to his 80th anniversary at Bates College, leading the parade with the banner of the Class of 1928, and presented the Bates Mineralogy Department with a gift of his collection of 2600 micromount minerals.
Friends are invited to a memorial service on Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. at Longwood Funeral Home, 913 East Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kennett Symphony Orchestra of Chester County, Mt. Cuba Observatory or Bates College.
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