G. Robert Yohe

1904–1979
Organic Chemistry

Gail Robert Yohe was born in Burlington, Iowa. He earned his B.S. degree in 1925, his M.S. degree in 1927, and his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry in 1929 at Cornell College (Iowa). Yohe held positions at E. I. du Pont de Nemours, Goodyear, and Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was a professor of chemistry. He joined the Illinois State Geological Survey in 1945 as Head of the Coal Chemistry Section. He reportedly took a pay cut when he joined the Survey and, soon afterward, was subjected to another pay cut when the Survey's budget was reduced. With time, Yohe became an internal authority on coal chemistry. He authored or coauthored a number of publications on coal and related topics. His work emphasized the oxidizing power of coal and products produced from coal oxidation. Yohe also worked on coking properties of coal and binding materials in making coal pellets and briquettes. He contributed articles to Encyclopedia Britannica and was also an active abstractor for Chemical Abstracts.

Yohe was a member of the Illinois Academy of Science and served as its president from 1965 to 1966. He was also a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Western States Blast Furnace and Coke Plant Association. Yohe retired from the Survey in 1972 after 27 years of service. Yohe was also an accomplished poet. He had several works published, and many of them "celebrated man and nature." He was a leader in the Arrowhead Council of the Boy Scouts of America and held both the Silver Beaver Award and the Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow.

Honored by Bradford Supply Co. (W. Jack Chamblin, CEO) and Ivan G. Krapac.

Citation contributed William R. Roy.

Updated 05/16/2011 SLD