- Date Of Birth: November 9, 1926
- Date Of Death: January 25, 2015
- State: New York
West Sand Lake – Henry James Sneck, Jr. PhD died January 25, 2015, son of Henry James Sneck and Ruth Durrell Sneck, born November 9, 1926 in Schenectady, New York.
He attended Scotia Schools and graduated Scotia High School 1943. At seventeen, his parents signed for him to join the Navy as he would soon be draft age. He served 1944-45 in the Pacific Theater of War on LST 18. Following his Honorable Discharge, he took a post-graduate course at Scotia High School for admission to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As a four year Mechanical Engineering Student at R.P.I., he was an outstanding student and became a member of Pi Tau Sigma Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi honorary societies. He received an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Yale University 1952, and PhD from R.P.I. in 1963.
He was hired to the faculty of R.P.I. as an instructor in mechanical engineering 1953. His teaching career covered more than fifty years. He received teaching awards during his many years in the classroom where he was glad to see students grasp and learn the subject matter presented. His professional career involved consulting work with area companies such as General Electric, Watervliet Arsenal, Norton Company and others. He also worked as an expert witness with attorneys on court cases which he thoroughly enjoyed. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. His contributions to mechanical engineering included various publications and patents and the textbook “Machine Dynamics.”
His hobbies included tennis and sailing a small craft at Cape Cod, a memorable vacation spot and on local lakes. His love of classical music took him to Troy Music Hall, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Tanglewood. He was happiest solving a problem, listening to a wonderful phrase of music and whistling along. He loved his cars, from the “Ghoster”, to the “Tang” to the “Bimmer”; they were always convertibles.
As a visiting professor, he taught satellite courses for Hudson Valley Community College, a year at the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs in 1992, and taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1994-1996. Professor Sneck loved his students, his colleagues and staffs.
His sense of humor and quick repartee were part of his personality and his love to laugh.
Survivors include his wife of sixty-three years, Erye Hayner Sneck, his son Mitchell D. (Kim) Sneck, Lt. Col. Ret. U.S.A.F., Las Vegas, Nevada, his son James D. (Kathy) Sneck, manager telecommunications, Concord Regional Health Center, NH, his daughter Alison H. Starkey, Archivist, East Greenbush, NY, his granddaughter Michelle E. (Michael) Sneck-Crepensik, Rice University, Houston, TX, and his grandson Harrison J. Sneck of Bradford, NH. He was predeceased by his grandson, SSG Matthew M. Sneck.
Henry J. devoted his life to his career, his family and his love of learning.
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