Obituary of Ira Fred Salkin

North Greenbush, New York Ira F. Salkin of North Greenbush, born Dec. 21, 1941, in Chicago, died on March 2, 2016, following a long illness. Ira is survived by his devoted wife, Kay (Brown) Salkin; stepdaughters, Lori Hewig of Taos, N.M., and Beth (Gerard) Weir of East Greenbush; stepson, William (Tracy) Schwarz of West Sand Lake; son, Daniel, of Simi Valley, Calif.; and grandchildren, Lindsay and Elise Weir, and Benjamin and Cameran Schwarz. Ira was pre-deceased by parents, Irving and Mollie Salkin, and brother, Marshall Salkin. Ira earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University, and in 1969, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree for original research in botany from the University of California at Berkeley. A recipient of a National Science Foundation pre-doctoral grant, Ira directed his study toward exploration of the biology, physiology and development of a fungus that he discovered and named. He then moved to New York to begin a 32-year career with the New York State Department of Health. Beginning as a research scientist in the Wadsworth Laboratories, Ira later became director of numerous state labs and programs, including the Medical Mycology Laboratories, the Clinical Laboratory Approval Program, Biological Safety, the Medical Waste Program and Quality Control. He authored or co-authored more than 120 scientific reports in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in reference texts. He also served as an editor of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Biosafety and editor-in-chief of Medical Mycology of the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology. Recognition and honors by his peers in the scientific community include the Meridian Award for Scientific Excellence, the Cooper Young Scientist Award of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology, the Lippmann Award for Scientific Achievement of the Medical Mycology Society of New York and election to Fellowship in the American Academy for Microbiology of the American Society for Microbiology. Family and friends were a source of joy to Ira. He delighted in sparring with dinner companions who did not share his liberal politics or rational, analytical pronouncements regarding religion and philosophy. He loved magicians, old-time radio, Abraham Lincoln, Uno’s original pizza, his family, Jewish studies, Joe Ritmo’s barbershop and watching “Jeopardy” every night with Kay. Ira’s brilliant mind and lightning-fast wit were legendary. He was an adored husband, stepfather and grandpa as well as a loyal, trusted friend who happily played the role of loveable curmudgeon. Ira was one of a kind, never to be replaced or forgotten by all who knew and loved him. Remembrance services for Ira will be held Monday, March 7, at 11 a.m. at Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y. Friends and relatives are respectfully invited to visit with the family prior to the service commencing at 10:00am Special thanks are extended to Dr. Robert Quimby and his dedicated staff for their excellent and compassionate care of Ira. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ira’s memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA, 22312, or the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY, 10018.