Jonathan Webb

Jon was born in Raleigh on January 24, 1967 to Neil and Nancy Webb. Jon grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Athens Drive High School. He received his Bachelors in Chemical Engineering with Highest Honors from Georgia Institute of Technology. Following his graduation from Georgia Tech, Jon worked for Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis for a number of years before he entered a Ph.D. program at University of Colorado Boulder where he received his Masters and Ph.D. in chemical engineering. Following graduation, Jon worked at a biotech startup company in Napa, California, and then he returned to Eli Lilly as a Principal Research Scientist. Most recently, Jon worked in the biotech industry for Medimmune in Frederick, Maryland and KBI Biopharma in the Research Triangle Park.

Jon was an engineer to the core and a brilliant scientist. His work focused on the pharmaceutical purification process, which ensures that drugs are safe and pure for human use. While at Eli Lilly, he helped develop pharmaceuticals to effectively treat juvenile diabetes. Although he never acknowledged the importance of his work, Jon helped ease the suffering that children with juvenile diabetes endure. Jon also published dozens of conference papers and peer-reviewed articles, served as a referee for two professional journals, and was a research advisor to the University of Iowa, the University of Colorado, and the University College London.

Jon was a lifelong lover of the outdoors and the shooting sports. Some of his happiest times were spent hunting and fishing with his family.

Jon was an avid hater of social media, which is why you won’t find him anywhere but on his LinkedIn profile, which he begrudgingly created because someone suggested that he get a job. He was also one of the cheapest humans alive, and he once nearly drowned because his brother superglued a penny to the deep end of the pool.

Jon’s one claim to fame, which he could never discuss, was as a grand juror on the Jon Benet Ramsey case while he was in graduate school in Boulder.

Jon is survived by his sons, Alex and Kellar, his daughter, Ava who was the apple of his eye, and his wife, Marti and by his sisters Natalie, Virginia, and Marjorie, and by his brother, Camden. Jon was preceded in death by his parents, Neil and Nancy Webb.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.