(914) 337-6770
info@mcgrathandson.com
20 Cedar Street, Bronxville, NY - 10708

Stothers, Richard Blair March 29, 2024

Richard Blair Stothers, age 72, died on June 28, 2011 at his home.  Survived by his brother, Hedley Stothers, his nephews Josh Nims, Seth Nims and Hedley Stothers III, and his nieces Ruth Stothers Dolan and Sarah Stothers.  Predeceased by his sister, Susan Stothers Nims.  Graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton University and Harvard

University.  Richard Stothers walked into the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in June 1961, a first-year graduate student looking for a summer job, carrying a one-paragraph note from a professor recommending him simply as a “very good man”.  Within two years, he published four papers in the most prestigious journal, the Astrophysical Journal, received his Ph.D. from Harvard and became a permanent staff member of the Goddard Institute, where he worked the rest of his life.  He became a world expert on the structure of stars, as well as their origin and evolution.  It was Dr. Stothers’ work and technical advice that stimulated Dr. Robert Jastrow, the founding director of the Goddard Institute, to write his famous book, Red Giants and White Dwarfs.  Dr. Stothers was a scholar of classical mold, able to read original papers in several languages.  He published almost 200 papers, mostly in astrophysics and solar physics.  In the last two decades of his life he spent much of his time on climate science, especially investigating ancient writings to extract information on climate change throughout recorded history.  Contributions in his memory may be made to The Community Fund, Point O’Woods, NY  11706.

Leave a Condolence