Calvin M. Class

He was the younger son of Edwin H. and Anna (Miller) Class, a blessed memory. He was born on the 27th of January 1924, on the family farm in Baltimore County, Maryland, educated there in the public schools and at Johns Hopkins University.

During WWII he served in the Army’s Air Corps Enlisted Reserve, employed as a Physicist at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, predecessor to NASA, at their Langley Field, Virginia laboratory. He joined the faculty of Rice University, known as Rice Institute prior to 1957, in 1952 and retired in 1986, and was a fellow member of the American Physical Society/APS. Calvin won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1955, he worked with Niels Bohr for six months at the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen, now known as Bohr Institute, and then spent another six months teaching Graduate Students at Oxford University. From 1957-1965, he served as the first Master of Mary Gibbs Jones College at Rice University. Calvin was a active member of the Houston Philosophical Society from 1961-2015, serving as President of the Society for one term in 1973. In 1994, he was Co-Editor of the book, “Variations on Nuclear Themes: Proceeding of a Symposium Held in Honor of Stanley S. Hanna”, with Les Cohen, a fellow PhD in Physics from Johns Hopkins University.

On the 27th of December 1948, Calvin married Bernice Lutz, who passed away a month after their 61st Anniversary in 2010. Bernice was Calvin's loyal helpmate throughout their long marriage, serving with particular distinction as a wise and compassionate counselor for a multitude of undergraduate students and some of Calvin's graduate students.

Calvin is predeceased by his brother, E. Arnold Class; and his brother's wife, Erma. He is survived by his daughter, Martha A. Class; his niece, Arna L. Griffith; his nephew, David A. Class and his wife Emilie; and his niece, Terri L. Class and her husband Loren “Cookie” Szpila. He is also survived by his great-nephew, Marc J. Wood and his wife Kristin; his great-niece, Jennifer M. Wood; and his great-nephews, Kevin D. Class and Michael A. Class; and two great-great nephews, and a great-great niece.

The family of Calvin Class would like to thank Lolo and Claudia, from the Management of Visiting Angels, for their help and support; as well as the following Visiting Angels Caregivers who helped and supported Calvin, Rita, Twanna, Carolyn, Daba, Felicia and Saada. In addition, the family would also like to thank Maurice from the management staff at The Brookdale Galleria for their help and support.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Calvin during a reception to be held from half-past one o’clock until half-past three o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 30th of October, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to Fondren Library at Rice University, Office of Development MS-81, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX,77251-1892; or St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.