Douglas LaMay, an officer with the Office of Environment, Health & Safety, died on Sunday, Jan. 4. He was 38.
LaMay, of Halifax, Mass., began working at EHS in 2002, providing radiation safety support and services at the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. In 2006, he moved to the Campus Radiation Protection group where he was responsible for radiation safety services for many Institute departments, labs and centers, as well as at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.
LaMay received a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. He served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Persian Gulf War era and was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Mitch Galanek, LaMay's supervisor at EHS, described him as "a caring and dedicated person who served MIT in an exemplary manner," adding that he was well respected and liked by his colleagues and was always quick to volunteer to work on any activity that would help the EHS office and the Institute. He also served on the Institute's Training Alignment Team where he was able to share his passion for learning.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret E. (O'Brien) LaMay, and a son, Kieran Liangdong LaMay.
Members of the community who feel affected by the loss of LaMay are encouraged to contact MIT Medical's Mental Health Service. Call 3-2916 anytime and ask to speak with the clinician on call. The service also offers walk-in counseling between 2-4 p.m. every weekday on the third floor of E-23.
Family and friends are kindly invited to attend a Memorial Gathering at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, in the Duffy-Poule Funeral Home, 20 Peck St., Attleboro. In lieu of flowers, and for those wishing to remember LaMay in a special way, memorial contributions in his memory may be made to: MSPCA-Metro South Animal Care & Adoption Center, 1300 West Elm St. Ext., Brockton, MA 02301 and/or Nine Lives of Norton Feline Rescue Shelter, P.O. Box 548, Norton, MA 02766.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on January 14, 2009 (download PDF).
