Obituary of Robert Burrell

Robert Guthrie Burrell, 78, passed away quietly at home in Morgantown, WV, on July 23, 2012, due to brain cancer. He was born in Springfield OH, the son of the late Nial Lanson Burrell and Helen Louise Cline Burrell. He was educated in the public schools of Springfield and earned bachelor's and graduate degrees in bacteriology from The Ohio State University in Columbus OH.After serving three years on the faculty of Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, he was appointed in 1961 to the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown WV where he taught and conducted basic medical research in immunology and microbiology for 35 years, retiring to Colington Harbour NC in 1996. In recognition of his immunological achievements, he was elected to membership by the American Association of Immunologists in 1965. He specialized in diseases of the lung caused by the inhalation of occupational and environmental dusts and because of this was helpful in locating the NIOSH facility in Morgantown. He was a leader in the injurious effects of the inhalation of mineral and microbially-contaminated dusts. He served as the first guest investigator in environmental health at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden in 1980 and was a consulting immunologist for several medical products companies.Bob chose to be an active participant wherever he was living. He was an environmental activist in West Virginia where he served in many leadership capacities, particularly in the fields of protection of wildlife habitat and free-flowing rivers and was the co-author of the first reliable guide to the whitewater rivers of West Virginia. Continuing these kinds of interests while living on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, he was a volunteer with the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and the North Carolina Aquarium. He returned to Morgantown in 2004 and was a volunteer at Mon General Hospital and a teacher in Appalachian Life Long Learner, the WVU Herbarium, and Mountaineer Audubon. He became very active in the Sterile Processing Production, Surgicare, and Pathfinder Service. In 2007, he became a certified Master Naturalist of the WV-DNR.Bob liked to sample and become involved in a number of widely different activities. At various times he was a folk musician, writer, chorister and water colorist. He had been a member of the Dare and Pasquatonk County (NC) Arts Councils.He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elaine Barrows Burrell one son, Doren Burrell of Charleston WV one daughter, Chara Whittemore, and her husband Jesse of Friendsville MD a grand-daughter Sierra Ellyse O'Brien, also of Friendsville and a sister, Patricia Burrell Ream, of Cambridge OH, as well as numerous nephews and nieces.A celebration of Bob's life will be held Sunday August 26, 2012 at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown (Cheat Lake) from 1:00PM until 3:30PM.Hastings Funeral Home of Morgantown is in charge of the arrangements.Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com.