Charles Allen (Al) McPherson, 79, of Baxter Springs, died Friday, April 7, 2023 with strength of mind and heart. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee January 7, 1944 , Al was the son of Ethel and Wilbur (Mac) McPherson,.
Al was raised in Baxter Springs, graduating from Riverton High School as valedictorian in 1962. He began his college career at the University of Kansas as a guard on the football team and was blessed with a stellar academic record and meeting the love of his life, Shari. Al truly enjoyed his time in Lawrence and some of his longest and most treasured friends originated in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. After marrying Shari at the Danforth Chapel and earning his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1966, the young couple moved to La Jolla, California. There, Al earned a PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry at the University of California, San Diego while finding time to snorkel, scuba dive and bring home prized abalone for dinner.
As a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Indiana University in Bloomington, Al lectured in Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Shari gave birth to their first daughter, Pam. Al found the academic sphere satisfying, but intensely competitive. While reviewing offers for his next role, he chose corporate research and development at Western Electric in Princeton, New Jersey where he enjoyed the collaboration and teamwork. A choice that, in part, allows us to read this obituary in the palm of our hands! Al’s work in thermosetting two-phase polymers, semi-conductor processing and flexible additive materials made the compact processors required for today’s modern cell phones possible.
While on the East Coast, Al and Shari welcomed their second (Kimber) and third (Megan) daughters into the world. Al moved on to excelling at Bell Laboratories, AT&T and the softball league at Lake Valhalla where he served as the Commissioner. He earned three US Patents related to epoxy adhesives, authored six publications in physical organic and synthetic chemistry and received a Doolittle award in 1979.
Al’s work eventually moved the family to Barrington, Illinois to work for Motorola. He retired in 1999 to pursue his dream of raising cattle back on the family farm in Baxter Spring along the Spring River. Al sought out the peace and solitude of nature, whether it was the slow, synchronized turn of a herd of cows upon the approach of his truck, the abundant life beneath the surface of the ocean waves, the roar of wind through the trees, or the tentative visit of a hummingbird.
Al’s last day on earth was Good Friday, and the timing reminds us that he is reunited with his mother, whom he spoke of as “the most intelligent person I ever met”; his father, who shared his love of the farm; his sister Linda, and the many dogs who stole his heart (and at least once, his T-bone steak).
Al leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Sharon (Shari) Ann McPherson, his sister Mary McPherson, and his three daughters Pamela (Pam) Ann McPherson, Kimber Ina Sullivan (husband Steven Anthony, children Timothy William, Jack Allen and Claire Rose) and Megan Elizabeth Cameron (children Mae Sophia and Molly Beatrice).
A Memorial service will be held at Derfelt’s in Baxter Springs Friday April 14 at 10 a.m.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.derfeltfuneralhomes. com.