Obituary of John Spillers Dahler

DAHLER, John Spillers

Died January 22, 2024. Preceded in death by first wife, Lanaya Williams and son Kurt Williams Dahler. Survived by wife Roberta (Jackie) Krause Peterson Dahler, daughter Gwendolyn Marcus (Leonard) of Santa Barbara, CA; stepchildren Scott Peterson (Karen), Gold Canyon, AZ, Robert Peterson (Cyndie), Andover, MN, and Rochelle Peterson (Shane), Minneapolis, MN; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

John was born May 7, 1930 in Wichita, KS, to Raymond E and Agnes E (Spillers) Dahler. Following high school in Wichita, he obtained a B.S. (1951), and an M.S. (1952) in chemistry from the University of Wichita, and subsequently a Ph.D. (1955) in theoretical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin (Madison). He then spent a year as a National Science Foundation Post-doctoral Fellow, Theoretical Physics Institute, University of Amsterdam, followed by two years service in the U.S. Air Force. John spent 42 years as Professor of Chemistry and of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota, (Minneapolis campus), where he greatly enjoyed teaching and collaborative research with undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral associates.

John enjoyed skiing and for several years spent his Spring breaks from University responsibilities skiing with friends at Alta (UT) until Jackie reminded him that their wedding anniversary fell during that time. He quickly decided to ski in January instead. He loved to study maps of the world and loved to travel. Together with Jackie he visited most of the U.S. and Europe and much of South and Central America. He cherished the many friendships that were developed during those memorable trips. He was especially grateful for the many months he and Jackie were able to spend relaxing in Mexico and on Maui.

John’s love of teaching included twenty years as a volunteer tutoring adult immigrants, first with the Hmong and then with those from Somalia and Ethiopia. He always said he felt he learned as much from his students as they did from him. He celebrated retirement (2000) as an opportunity to read and travel, to engage in volunteer tutorial activities and especially, to spend more time with his wife, children and grandchildren. Per John’s wishes, there will be no service. Cremains will be interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.