J. Douglas Faires,
71, of Pulaski, PA died Friday, December 21, 2012, following an
extended illness.
Born in Sharon, PA, the son of Edon and Gwen Faires, Doug
graduated from Sharpsville High School, class of 1959. He
pursued an undergraduate degree at Youngstown State University,
graduating in 1963, and left YSU to complete a Ph.D. in
mathematics at University of South Carolina before returning to
YSU as a faculty member in 1969. He has been associated with
Youngstown State University ever since, retiring as professor of
mathematics in 2006. During his tenure at YSU, Doug
was the recipient of numerous awards, including the
Outstanding College-University Teacher of Mathematics by the
Ohio Section of the Mathematical Association of America and
five Distinguished Faculty awards from Youngstown State
University, which also awarded him an Honorary Doctor of
Science in 2006. For
nearly two decades, he was a member of the council of Pi Mu
Epsilon, National Mathematics Honorary Society, including a
term as president. In addition, he was awarded the MacDuffee
Award by Pi Mu Epsilon for lifetime service in 2005. Doug
was a Co-Director of examinations for
the American Mathematics Competitions for 8 years and has
been a long-term judge for the COMAP International Contest
in Mathematical Modeling. He authored or co-authored more
than 20 books, including nine editions of the classic Numerical
Analysis. Dr. Faires, as he was known to
his students, will be remembered not for his awards, but as
a dedicated teacher. He was a master at getting the best out
of those around him, encouraging them to recognize their own
potential and mentoring them to achievements far beyond
their expectations. A tireless champion of undergraduate
research in mathematics, Doug was a driving force behind the
establishment, in 2006, of the Center for Undergraduate
Research in Mathematics at Youngstown State.
Doug was
himself an enthusiastic student and problem solver, pursuing
many avocations including woodworking and bread baking using
the outdoor pizza oven he built. He and his wife traveled
extensively, but always found their way in the summers to
their cottage on Lake Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, the area
from which Doug's parents migrated to western Pennsylvania
in the 1930s.
He
leaves his wife Barbara, Secretary of the Mathematical
Association of America and retired professor of mathematics
at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. He also leaves
one daughter, Erika, who works in investor relations at
Bracebridge Capital in Boston, MA, and her husband Dr.
Matthew Salzler. Doug was preceded in death by his parents
and two sisters, Dr. Nancy Faires Conklin and Dr. Nora
Faires. A Memorial Service will be held at St. John's
Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Avenue, Youngstown on February
23, 2013 at 3:00pm, following the undergraduate research in
mathematics conference that he started at YSU in 1999.
Memorial contributions can be made to the YSU Center for
Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURMath,
www.curmath.ysu.edu) or to any organization that encourages
students to pursue excellence in mathematics.
Links to additional obituaries:
Vindy.com
maa.org