Dr. Ray "Doc" Hefferlin

I (and my wife Jean) would like to express my sympathy and great sadness to the family, and other friends, at the sad news that Ray Hefferlin has died.  I met him, and corresponded with him, several times on both technical and personal matters, for he was a delightful man with many interests, and a warm and empathetic personality.  We corresponded many times about chemistry, as well as family matters, and "Life, the Universe and Everything". 

 He was one of those people who make the world seem a better and more interesting place, and it has been a privilege to know him, and offer much sympathy to his grieving family.

 Edward and Jean Kirby
 itlochry PH16 5AN, Scotland UK

Doc's influence, generosity, kindness, and helpfulness have been the moorings of my physics career. Since our first encounter in the early spring of 1982 to shortly before his passing, Doc has been my father in the discipline, the faith, and a wonderful and cherished friend. I was always inspired by his style of teaching and fascinated by his love for bringing tangible results out of abstraction.

Seliene and I so highly regarded the contributions that Doc and Mrs. Hefferlin, made to our lives that we named our firstborn (and only son) for him.

 Although we are saddened by his passing, we are overjoyed to know that Doc shared in the precious hope of the Resurrection and not long from now, we will have our reunion. Our prayers are for the comfort and healing of the family.

Most of my education at Southern was on the "other end" of campus in Brock Hall. I never had a class with Dr. Hefferlin, but he did come several times to present in our Something Else Sabbath School. I appreciated his genuine interest in students, his humble approach to life, his deep study of scriptures, and his dedication to a higher level of academic learning and research.

As a Southern alumnus ('01) and current faculty member, [I remember] Dr. Hefferlin was always a shining light on campus. As a student, I remember him walking around Hickman Science center, always ready with a smile. Fast forward 14 years later and that was still the case.  Dr. Hefferlin will forever be remembered as a kind, wise professor who brightened the lives of those around him. 
 

Having graduated from a high school in Mississippi, I wasn't prepared for the rigors of a physics major at Southern.  My freshman class load spring semester of 1999 was the most difficult I had experienced: Elementary Linear Algebra, Calculus II, General Physics and Calculus Applications of Physics (Calc Apps).  This particular Calc Apps happened to be Dr. Hefferlin's last.  My overall recollection of the class was his thoughtful lectures and no-nonsense (minimal partial credit) grading.  I'm going to share two stories that illustrate both points, and tidbits from a talk I remember him giving at Hickman's outdoor church.

Early in the semester, after devoting extra time to one particular assignment, I was dismayed to see my homework return with a -2 crowning a dense patch of red text.  Being ever vigilant about my (borderline failing) grade, I asked Doc about it after class.  He kindly explained that those in Calc Apps (unlike those in General Physics) are making a career of quantitative problem solving and the quality of their homework is a reflection of their personality -- an extension of who they are.  "Having a well-structured, easy-to-follow homework with legible handwriting will be important to your future clients," Doc continued.  Afterwards, he asked to look at my homework, read his note, and scribbled out the -2.  "I don't think it is fair to dock you for neatness when you can't read my note" he said smiling, and we both laughed.

***

Later on that semester, he approached me about my grade, which was 60% ± ε.  "Nick I am concerned about your grade.  While you might technically pass this class, anything below a C will not count towards your physics major.  Perhaps you might want to take the class next year when you have had a better math background."  I thanked him for alerting me and replied, "I'm learning a lot, so I think I will stick it out -- even if I have to take it again next year."

Unsurprisingly, my midterm grad in Calc Apps was a D-, so I resigned myself to postponing my physics major for a year.  At the end of the semester, however, I was quite surprised to see that while I got a C in Calc Apps 2, my Calc Apps 1 grade had been changed to a B-.  I remember a feeling of warmth flooding me with the realization that I would not have to pause my physics progress.  And I am happy to report that his gamble paid off, for I received an A in Modern Physics the following semester.

 ***

At Hickmen's outdoor church one Sabbath morning at Chilhowee, I recall Doc telling a story of acquiring a rare sodium isotope.  The plan was to use the neutron blast from one of the test atomic bombs to irradiate a sodium sample.  His team had devised a system using the blast to ignite guide-flares, and so, clad in paper radiation suits, they laid behind a hill some 10 miles from ground zero awaiting the blast.  I wish I could reproduce Docs description of the time-evolving, color-gradient, but I remember him saying "the sky flashed cobalt blue."  After the blast, they jumped into a truck and followed the flairs along the hazy, dust-swept desert towards the target 5 miles from ground zero.

When someone in the audience asked about his radiation exposure, Doc said, "Well, there was a Geiger counter on the seat of the truck … and the needle was *pinned* to the right as it let out a stream of inseparable ticks."  He chuckled and the audience burst out laughing.  Somehow my research, remotely logging into supercomputers, just doesn't carry the thrill of science in the good'ol days.

 Nicholas Vence, PhD ('04)

I express my deep condolences to Hefferlin's family, the deep sorrow they have today reaches the soul of this Colombian friend of Professor Hefferlin and Inelda.Professor Hefferlin was an important person I meet in 2003 in a scientific conference on the periodic table in Canada and he motivated me to keep working on the subject of the periodic table. Today I thank him for that and for being the good friend he was, for being so kind to me. One of my first international lectures I gave it at his university attending an invitation by him to go to Collegedale and to spend some time in his house. I spent wonderful times in a Tennessean trip we made along with him and with his beloved wife Inelda. My first visit to Switzerland was to his pretty flat in Locarno (invited by him) and I will not forget the hiking tour we made in the Alps.

The first international guest I had in my research group in Colombia was, of course, Professor Hefferlin, who came to Colombia to show that the valleys and mountains of the Colombian landscape are present in the periodicities of some molecular properties, a topic he devoted a big part of his scientific career.

If Nature is periodic I hope we get another fellow, another singular man and warm human being as Professor Hefferlin in the coming period.

Such a kind and calm man of big glasses, tender eyes, big heart and soft voice today rest in peace and my heart is with him and his family.

Guillermo Restrepo, Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science Universitãt Leipzig Leipzig, Germany