Tedric A. Harris (Ted), 78, of State College, passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, at the HealthSouth Rehabilitation facility, in Pleasant Gap. Born Feb. 25, 1932, in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Philip and Bella Rosenberg Harris. His wife of 55 years, Selma Fine Harris, survives at home.
He graduated Upper Darby High School in 1949. He received in with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1953 and MSME from the Pennsylvania State University in 1954. Ted began his career at Hamilton Standard Division of United Aircraft Corp. in Windsor Locks, Conn., working on the Chance Vought F8U, the first supersonic fighter aircraft for the U.S. Navy. In 1955, he moved to Pittsburgh, to work as an analytical development engineer at the Bettis Atomic Power Division of Westinghouse Electric Corp. His work involved evaluation of potential radiation hazards associated with the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise.
In 1959 he presented a paper to the American Nuclear Society on the Loss of Coolant Accident, coining the term "LOCA". This is the accident that occurred 20 years later at Three Mile Island. In 1960, he began a 31 year career with SKF, the American subsidiary of the world's largest manufacturer of ball and roller bearings, in Philadelphia, in various capacities.
Among these were: Supervisor of Bearing Technology, Manager of Analytical Services, Director of Management Information Systems (Philadelphia), SKF Group Director -Information Systems (1973-1977 in Gothenberg, Sweden); President-Specialty Bearings Division (1978-1979, Philadelphia; Managing Director-SKF Engineering and Research Laboratory (1980-1985), Nieuwegein, The Netherlands; Vice President-Engineering and Quality for SKF USA, Inc. (1985-1987), King of Prussia; and Vice-President-Engineering and Research for the MRC (1987-1991), Jamestown, N.Y.
He retired from SKF in 1991 and accepted a position as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University at University Park, teaching undergraduate courses in machine design and graduate courses in bearing technology. He developed and taught continuing education courses in bearing technology for the American Bearing Manufacturers Assoc. instructing graduate engineers at Penn State and around the USA, 1995-2008.
He retired as a Full Professor in 2001, but continued his profession as a consulting engineer and teaching continuing education short courses. He was the author of 70 publications, mostly on ball and roller bearings. Chief among these is the book "Rolling Bearing Analysis", first published in 1966 by John Wiley & Sons. The book is currently in its 5th edition (2006) and is recognized as the foremost reference worldwide on rolling bearing technology.
Several of his peer-reviewed publications won outstanding paper awards. His complex computer programs to analyze rolling bearing friction, internal temperatures and element speeds resulted in longer endurance for life-critical aircraft gas turbines main-shaft ball and roller bearings. He initiated, and together with an SKF colleague, completed development of a method to predict ball and roller bearing life with greater accuracy. Their formula, known as the Ionnides-Harris equation, became the basis of the international standard for rating bearings. Ted was active in engineering technical societies. In the American Society of Mechanical Engineer (ASME), he was elected to the prestigious Research Committee for Lubrication in 1971 and became a Fellow Member of ASME in 1973.
After retiring from SKF, he returned to engineering activities becoming Chairman of the ASME Tribology Division. As a member of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), he was honored as a Fellow Member in 2008. In 2007, he was selected as an Outstanding Alumnus by the Penn State College of Engineering. In the same year he was also presented with the STLE International Award, the highest recognition by STLE. In 2009, the ABMA established the Tedric A. Harris Scholarship Program. This is an annual award to a deserving undergraduate mechanical engineering student, the first such award being given at Penn State.
Ted was active in local Jewish communities. In 1957, he helped establish Congregation B'nai Israel in Pleasant Hills, Pa., becoming its first Vice President. He joined Congregation Brit Shalom after moving to State College. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Penn State Hillel for several years. He served as Board Chairman for two years during which the annual budget increased by 900%, vitalizing that student organization.
He was a loyal Penn State fan, traveling to a least one football game a year while living in Europe. He spent many enjoyable Saturdays listening to Fran Fisher and Jim Tarman broadcast the games over the Armed Forces Network. He helped organize The Penn State Club or Northern Europe. He derived great joy and pride from his children and grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his son, Philip L. Harris, M.D. and his wife, Roberta, of Wellington, Fla., his daughter, Barbara Harris Gordon and her husband, Bernie, of Fairfax, Va., his granddaughters Whitney and Stephanie Harris, and grandsons Adam and Matthew Gordon. He was preceded in death by a brother, Leroy S. Harris.
His funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 29, 2010, with Rabbi David Ostrich officiating. Burial will be in the Lincoln Cemetery, Chambersburg. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Brit Shalom, 620 E. Hamilton Ave., State College, PA 16801 or The Penn State Hillel, 114-117 Pasquerilla Center, University Park, PA 16802. Arrangements by Koch Funeral Home, State College.