Elwin Carl Penski

Elwin (“El”) Carl Penski received his education at Catonsville High School, Philadelphia Textile Institute (now Philadelphia University), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Utah. All of his tuition was paid for by scholarships, and to help pay for living expenses, El worked various jobs to include being a carpenter’s helper and a floor man in a very large A&P bakery in the summers. In the bakery one of his many tasks was dumping 100 lb. bags of donut mix into an automatic donut machine. Additionally, he held various scientific jobs at Philadelphia University and was a teaching assistant at MIT and the University of Utah.

His professional career included work as a research chemist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base while serving as an officer in the Air Force. Upon leaving military service, El continued as a research chemist at the University of Dayton Research Institute and then at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He was an expert in an unusually large number of areas of applied and basic research. His publications provided a major resource for the defense of U.S. forces and allies. During his career, he worked with many university faculty members, government scientists from many agencies, and scientists affiliated with contractors on Army-supported research. After 35 years of government service, El retired in September 1995.

In the 1960s, El tutored students in trigonometry at Dunbar High School in Baltimore. He also judged science fairs at local high schools and at Towson and Morgan State Universities. El has been a member of the American Chemical Society from 1963 to the present, Chairman of the Maryland Section in 1981, Congressional Science Councilor from 1981 to 1986, Chairman of the Maryland Chemist Award Committee from 1990 to 1998, and holder of many other positions. El held similar positions in Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. He was president of the Chesapeake Chapter from 1979 to 1985. As part of his work for various groups, he promoted science and physical activity in the high schools. El was one of the founders and an active worker for the Sharing Table (a soup kitchen in Edgewood) for 12 years. He helped found the Betty Penski Memorial Scholarship Fund, Essex Community College.

El coached soccer, basketball, and baseball in Joppatowne and baseball and soccer in Fallston for the recreation councils. He played tennis in Bel Air, Edgewood and Joppatowne in county recreation programs.

El was always involved in environmental work. As an example, in 1973, in face of much skepticism, he and his wife, Betty Wright Penski, proposed to the State of Maryland that a large part of Cunningham Falls State Park be set aside as a wildland. In 1981, the Maryland Legislature set aside the proposed area, 3500 acres. He and Betty maintained a few miles of the Appalachian Trail and regional trails for many years. He was president of the Otter Point Creek Alliance.
He has been a member of many such groups and of many historical societies. He served as the webmaster for the Historical Society of Harford County and served on the Board of Directors for four years. He served as a Director, Treasurer, and Webmaster of the Baltimore County Historical Society. He is the founder of the Junius B. Booth Society, Inc. El has received numerous awards for his Equal Employment Opportunity, scientific, leadership, historical, and charitable contributions. In 2009, coauthored and published a history book, “Al’s Odyssey, from Catonsville to Japan, Edward Albert Aldridge II’s World War II Letters.”

A reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres will follow immediately after the service at Mountain Branch Grille & Pub (1827 Mountain Road, Joppa, MD 21085). Everyone is invited to both events to help remember and celebrate Elwin’s life.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS
My dad believed in the power of education, so in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Betty Penski Scholarship Fund.
Donations can be made either online (http://www.ccbcmd.edu/support-ccbc/ccbc-foundation), or via check (Betty Penski Scholarship Fund, CCBC Foundation, 7200 Sollers Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21222).
In either case, annotate that the donation is for the Betty Penski Scholarship in memory of my dad, Elwin Carl Penski.