Dr. John Lynn Emmerson, 78, of Greenfield and Portland, passed away Thursday July 5, 2012. He was born to the late John and Marjorie Emmerson, Nov. 21, 1933, in Owensville, IN.
John graduated from Owensville High School in 1950, and after graduating, joined the Navy and attained the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class. After discharging from the Navy, John received a BS in Pharmacy in 1958, followed by a PhD from Purdue University in 1962. He married Karen Nethery in 1957, and they lived together in Greenfield, IN., before relocating to Portland, OR in 1992.
Dr. Emmerson began his professional activities with Eli Lilly and Company as a Senior Pharmacologist. With the exception of a one-year appointment in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences at Purdue, as an Associate Professor of Toxicology, his entire professional career was at the Eli Lilly Company, an organization which he served for nearly 33 years. He held various positions including Senior Toxicologist, Head Metabolism Department, Head Metabolism and Pathology Departments, and Director of Toxicology Studies and retired as Eli Lilly’s Distinguished Research Scholar.
Dr. Emmerson was named a Distinguished Alumni by Purdue University in 1986. He was a past President of the Society of Toxicology, serving that organization on the Committee for Accreditation of Toxicology Facilities and Procedures, Nominating Committee, Program Committee, and Committee on Good Laboratory Practices. Dr. Emmerson also served on the Editorial Board and was an Associate Editor of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. His professional activities included: chairman of the Toxicology Forum Committee, member of the National Academy of Sciences, chairman of the Program on Future Trends in Toxicology, chairman of the National Agricultural Chemicals Association Toxicology Committee, chairman of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association Drug Safety Steering Committee, and was an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. In addition to holding membership in the Society of Toxicology, Dr. Emmerson was a member of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the America Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, and Rho Chi.
John was an avid golfer and he enjoyed playing rounds with all his friends. He loved books and acquired an extensive library, and he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt at used book stores across the U.S. and Europe and considered Powell’s Books the “Center of the Universe.”
John is survived by his wife Karen; and son, James L. Emmerson; and 4 grandchildren.
John ispreceded in death by his son; Dr. Michael S. Emmerson.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made out to Edelweiss Equine-assisted Therapeutic Riding Center. http://horses4therapy.org/
Private services will be held.
Arrangements by Springer And Son Aloha Funeral Home 503-356-1000.
