Albert J. Rothman

Albert J. Rothman

Albert J. Rothman died Dec. 11, 2018. He was 94.

He was born Jan. 16, 1924 to immigrant Jewish parents and raised in Brooklyn, New York, as later described in his autobiography, “A Brooklyn Odyssey.” He graduated second in his class at Stuyvesant High School, received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering at Columbia University made possible by a Pulitzer Scholarship, and was awarded a master’s of science degree at Brooklyn Polytechnic.

Rothman completed a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and pursued a career as a research engineer and a project leader in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, and Laser Isotope Separation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory until his retirement in 1986. A self-described “poet-scientist” and Mensa member, Rothman was acutely intelligent, articulate and abounding with energy.

He is survived by his daughters, Denise Rothman (spouse Bob Fitch) and Lynn Iwase; son, Joel Rothman (spouse Molly Rothman); grandchildren Emily Iwase, Adam Bairzin, Albee Rothman and Jennifer Rothman; former wife, Jeannette; and brother Ed Rothman.

A memorial to celebrate this life will be held on Saturday, March 30, at 1:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1893 N. Vasco Road, Livermore. For more information, contact: albertrothman2019 [at] gmail.com (albertrothman2019[at]gmail[dot]com).