Dr. Peter Nkedi-Kizza's Obituary
Dr. Peter Nkedi-Kizza, retired Professor of Soil Physics at the University of Florida, died peacefully on June 10th, 2023 at his home in Gainesville, Florida.
He was born on May 8th, 1943 in Ssese Islands, Uganda to Simeo Gyagenda and Nalongo Bernadette Namakula Nabatanzi.
Dr. Nkedi-Kizza was employed by the Department of Soil and Water Science at the University of Florida for 38 years. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Uppsala in Sweden in 1969, followed by a master’s degree at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda in 1973 and a Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis in 1979. His studies focused on soil and environmental physics, agrichemical behavior, and crop management. He came to the University of Florida as a post-doctoral student in 1980, where he fell in love with the gator-nation city of Gainesville. Most importantly, it was at the University of Florida where he met and later married the love of his life, Dr. Rosie Chikwana Kizza. Dr. Nkedi-Kizza joined the faculty in the department of Soil Science in 1986 where he taught and conducted research on Soil Physics until hist retirement as a full professor in 2019.
He was a global scholar, with his countries of expertise including Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania, and, of course, his homeland country, Uganda. His studies focused on understanding the disposition and fate of a variety of fertilizers, pesticides, and wastes applied to land areas. In his work, he endeavored to improve agricultural production and environmental quality. Dr. Nkedi-Kizza’s research data has been used to develop and verify process-oriented simulation models. These models have been used in turn to describe the behavior of chemicals in agro-ecosystems as well as at toxic waste disposal sites. His participation in academic committees include, but are certainly not limited to, the Committee on Hunger in Africa, the Center for African studies, and the African Soil Science Society. He has served as a contributor to multiple book chapters, a book editor, the U.S. Regional editor for the Journal of Biochemical Physics, and author of over 50 academic publications. His work has been recognized through numerous scholarships and grants. Most recently, he was honored as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Uganda. Through this fellowship, Dr. Nkedi-Kizza personally researched and taught students at Makerere University about potential for pollution of Lake Victoria due to fertilizers and pesticides applied to cash crops (i.e., sugar cane, oil palm, and tea) grown along the shores of the lake.
He has mentored countless students across the globe, including 11 undergraduates, 50 graduates, and 19 post-doctoral students. Through his professorship at the University of Florida, he forged a team that established linkages between the University of Florida and Makerere University. He has helped so many students achieve degrees, obtain university scholarships, secure governmental grants, and take placements at faculty positions. Every student has praised Dr. Nkedi-Kizza’s brilliance, compassion, humor, and relentless guidance.
His greatest honor was his role as a son, brother, uncle, husband, father, grandpa, and great-grandfather to his family. Dr. Nkedi-Kizza is survived by his devoted wife of almost 40 years, Rosie Chikwana Kizza; children, Bernadette Munkfors, Peter Frances Gyagenda Kizza, Jennifer Frances Namuli Kizza-Brown, and Vanessa Kizza-George; sister, Jane Nakamaya; grandchildren, Sebastian Pettersson, Max Pettersson, and Lina Munkfors; great-grandchildren, Leah Munkfors; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and loving friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Nalongo Bernadette Namakula Nabatanzi and Simeo Gyagenda.
A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, June 24th, 2023 at 10 AM at Queen of Peace, 10900 SW 24th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32607. Burial services will then continue in Sesse Islands, Uganda.
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