John B. "Jack" Nesbitt, 84, died at home on Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. He was born April 18, 1924, in State College, a son of Russell B. and Esther M. Nesbitt. His mother died four years after his birth. He was raised by his step-mother, Harriet D. Nesbitt, whom his father married in 1931. He received his baccalaurate degree from Penn State in 1948 and his master's degree and doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1949 and 1952. He worked as a sanitary engineering designer for Whitman, Requardt, and Associates in Baltimore. During his time there, he taught fluid mechanics at McCoy College, Johns Hopkins University. He taught environmental engineering at Penn State from 1953 until he retired in 1984. His father, mother and step-mother also taught at Penn State. Altogether the family accumulated 96 years of service to Penn State. While at MIT, he researched the effectiveness of conventional water treatment processes on the removal of several radioisotopes from potable water. At Penn State his research encompassed different areas of environmental engineering including biological oxidation of cyanide, high rate filtration of potable water and municipal wastewater effluents, and aluminum precipitation of phosphorus from municipal wastewaters. He authored numerous publications on these subjects. He was a life member of the American Water Works Association, the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, the American Society of Civil Engineers (with four years service on the Environmental Engineering Division Executive Committee), the International Association on Water Quality (serving on the USA National Committee), the Water Environment Federation, the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association, the Water Works Operators Association of Pennsylvania, Phi Eta Sigma, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, Chi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi. In State College he served as a member and chairman of the State College Sewer Authority and for many years served as vice-chairman of the University Area Joint Authority. He received the Water Works Operators Association of Pennsylvania Best Technical Paper Award, the Penn State Engineering Society's Outstanding Advisor and Distinguished Service Awards, and the Borough of State College's XYZ Award. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart as a result of injuries received in Germany. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, where he was a long time member of the Senior Choir. He also sang with the State College Choral Society, and took several trips to Britain and Europe with the Pennsylvania Chorale. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, whom he married in 1990; his children, a daughter Barbara L. Nesbitt-Birek of Raleigh, N.C., a son Russell D. of Bellefonte, a daughter Ann M. Hovis, of Hillsborough, N.C. and a step-daughter Elizabeth N. Rowe, of West Chester; and 10 grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Nov. 24, 2008, at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College, with the Rev. Dr. G. Edwin Zeiders presiding. Burial will be in Spring Creek Presbyterian Cemetery following the service. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 109 McAllister St., State College, PA 16801. (Published in Centre Daily Times on November 23, 2008)