Birth date: Feb 12, 1935 Death date: Jan 22, 2018
Duane Scott Ellifritt, Sr, died peacefully among family and friends on January 22, 2018. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Joyce Marie Ellifritt (nee Arnold), his children Bonnie (d. 2017), Gem (Pai), Julia, Scott (At Read Obituary
RE-POSTED FROM GAINESVILLE SUN POST OF 28 Jan 2018:
Joyce and Family: Gayle and I were so sad to hear about Duane. Our deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with you. Duane was a dear friend, and a coworker for some 14 years. Duane was so talented in so many ways.....artist, teacher, mentor, and a giant in his field. Duane's accomplishments in these and other areas are well documented! BUT Duane's most important and enduring quality was being a TRUE GENTLEMAN, a person that I held in the highest esteem and relied on for his wisdom. I never once heard Duane utter a foul word or say anything derogatory about anyone, and I never saw him in a bad mood or angry. Duane's STEEL TEACHING SCULPTURE is an enduring legacy, a mastery in visual teaching, and is on the campuses of many, many universities around the Globe. Gayle and I always looked forward to Duane's art on your Christmas cards, and seeing his artwork in his studio in your home. I am proud and pleased to have one of Duane's paintings in my office. MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU IN THESE SAD TIMES! Paul and Gayle
My name is Lawrence Riddle. Duane and I attended Engineering Classes together and studied in the Engineering library at Marshall College in the early 1950s. We worked during the summers for railroads clearing the right of way of weeds with various chemicals. Deane had a quick wit. I enjoyed his company. He was frugal and conservative, but enjoyed friends. He enjoyed discussions of current events and he retained everything he read. The world is a better place because Duane lived and loved us all.
The members of the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) join in remembrance of our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Duane Ellifritt. Duane was the first Director of Research and Engineering for the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA). He served in that position from 1975 until 1984, where he helped formulate and administer some ground-breaking MBMA-sponsored research at several universities.
Most notably, he administered the wind tunnel research on low rise buildings at the University of Western Ontario that is still the cornerstone for wind loads used today in building codes throughout North America. He also represented the metal building industry at codes and standards meetings all over the country.
Dr. Lee Shoemaker, the current Director of Research and Engineering, remembers his friend and colleague. “Duane was such an inspiration to me, especially the way he carved the new position he took at MBMA into a leadership role for the industry. But I will best remember him for his love of life; combining art, engineering, and teaching that touched so many people and helped shape our lives.”
Duane got his start in the metal building industry by working at Armco for 10 years after he earned his B.S. in engineering from Marshall College in 1957. Armco was one of the founding members of MBMA. Coincidentally, the first Technical Committee meeting of MBMA took place just a few months before Dr. Ellifritt went to work for Armco. He left Armco to earn his Ph.D. at the University of West Virginia under the mentorship of Dr.
Larry Luttrell who is well known for his research on steel decks.
After receiving his Ph.D. in 1970, Duane, taught at Oklahoma State University for five years before taking the job at MBMA. After serving the metal building industry so admirably for nine years, he started to miss the classroom and decided to return to academia by accepting a distinguished endowed faculty position at the University of Florida. He taught and guided young engineers there starting in 1984 and retired as an emeritus professor in 2010.
He was an accomplished artist and enjoyed his creative side throughout his entire life. He always traveled with his sketch book and would compose his favorites into beautiful watercolors. His home and art studio are wall to wall with original vignettes of his observations of life, especially with his interest in bridges and other structures. In 2006, he was recognized for his lifetime achievements in structural engineering and the arts with the prestigious George Winter Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Among his many contributions to the steel industry, some of the most lasting impressions are:
- His sculpture that went viral: As a teaching tool, in 1986, he created a sculpture on the University of Florida campus displaying the different connections and members commonly used in steel construction, shown in full scale. His concept has since been reproduced at nearly 200 university campuses worldwide.
- His contributions to the future: He served as a member of the AISI Committee on Specifications for the Design of Cold-Formed Members and as a member of the AISC Committee on Specifications.
- His worldwide reach: The Australian Institute of Steel Construction sponsored Dr. Ellifritt on a lecture tour to educate engineering groups throughout both Australia and New Zealand.
May God speed you on your journey, Duane. You will be missed.
It is hard to put into words everything that Duane has meant to me. I first met Duane when he was a visiting professor at UF in the Fall of 1982, and I took a course from him. When I was looking for a Ph.D. program in 1987 as I was leaving active duty, I discovered that Duane was now full-time at UF. There was no other choice ... I was going to study under Duane.
One could not have a better, more supportive, mentor than Duane. The time and energy that he devoted to me went well beyond what he had to do. Because of the experiences that he shared with me, and the contacts that he helped me make, I am the engineer that I am today. And this was not an isolated case. Duane went beyond the call for all his students.
Yes, I will miss him terribly.
Tom Sputo
