In Memory

Jay Dorius

Jay Dorius

Sent by Brent Lambson

My good friend Jay Dorius sat next to me in band and we both played the trumpet but he was much better than I  was.  I remember playing in the pep band with Jay and playing the charge. We also worked together at Safeway and I enjoyed playing trumpet with Jay and Gary Jensen in a trio at different places.  Jay was a great friend, very bright and gifted in so many ways.  Jay had few health issues as I recall him being hospitalized in his senior year. He graduated and went to the U where he completed a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1977. He stayed on and worked on a Ph.D. in Fuels Engineering completing that in 1984. He was always helpful to other students including the foreign students he worked with. He had a brilliant mind especially in Thermodynamics. He was hired by Hercules Thiokol after graduate school and worked as a research engineer until his death in May 28, 1987. I noted that there is an outstanding student presentation award given in his name by the Western States Catalysis Club of the North American Catalysis Society and that his name it shows up on quite a few articles posthumously.  
Through all of this he suffered with eyesight problems, kidney failure and heart attacks. He received a kidney transplant either in late 1986 or early 1987 which was lifesaving after being on dialysis for some time. Not long before his death he was diagnosed with lymphoma and was in treatment when in early May 1987 he was involved in a car accident with a potato truck which had been abandoned and rolled onto the highway. Although apparently uninjured it was a couple of weeks later when he died in his sleep. A blood clot had broken loose.  I am a better person for having known this outstanding classmate and friend.

 

  Post Comment


 



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

06/01/12 11:10 AM #1    

Brent Lambson

My good friend Jay Dorius sat next to me in band and we both played the trumpet but he was much better than I  was.  I remember playing in the pep band with Jay and playing the charge. We also worked together at Safeway and I enjoyed playing trumpet with Jay and Gary Jensen in a trio at different places.  Jay was a great friend, very bright and gifted in so many ways.  Jay had few health issues as I recall him being hospitalized in his senior year. He graduated and went to the U where he completed a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1977. He stayed on and worked on a Ph.D. in Fuels Engineering completing that in 1984. He was always helpful to other students including the foreign students he worked with. He had a brilliant mind especially in Thermodynamics. He was hired by Hercules Thiokol after graduate school and worked as a research engineer until his death in May 28, 1987. I noted that there is an outstanding student presentation award given in his name by the Western States Catalysis Club of the North American Catalysis Society and that his name it shows up on quite a few articles posthumously.  
Through all of this he suffered with eyesight problems, kidney failure and heart attacks. He received a kidney transplant either in late 1986 or early 1987 which was lifesaving after being on dialysis for some time. Not long before his death he was diagnosed with lymphoma and was in treatment when in early May 1987 he was involved in a car accident with a potato truck which had been abandoned and rolled onto the highway. Although apparently uninjured it was a couple of weeks later when he died in his sleep. A blood clot had broken loose.  I am a better person for having known this outstanding classmate and friend,


01/31/22 05:50 PM #2    

Jane Rogers

I had not known Jay, but enjoyed reading and appreciate what Brent Lambson shared. Jay accomplished so much in his short time on earth, and made lasting contributions in his field of study. I am sorry he had to suffer so much with his health. His was certainly a life well-lived. 

Jane Rogers


01/31/22 09:46 PM #3    

Todd Laver

Brent, what a nice tribute

02/02/22 06:54 PM #4    

Kevin Lemon

Jay was one of my best friends.  Kevin Olson and I spent many times with Jay.  The three of us enjoyed watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail so many times we could recite the dialog.  One time Jay and I drove up to Fort Bridger in Wyoming to visit the historical monuments there.  We were walking underneath some large pine trees when a raven attacked us from the air!  It was so crazy and funny!  I remember Jay loved riding his motorcycle but had to give it up when his diabetes affected the blood vessels in his eye.  The motorcycle riding was causing the vessels to bleed.  I lost track of Jay after we graduated and I wasn't aware of all his amazing accomplishments!  Thank you Brent for sharing.  When he passed away it was unexpected and came much too soon.


go to top 
  Post Comment