Lasting Memories

Samuel Franklin Eccles
Sept. 19, 1930-Aug. 8, 2023
Reno, Nevada

Samuel Franklin Eccles September 19, 1930 - August 8, 2023

Samuel Franklin "Lou" Eccles was born in Reno Nevada to parents Forrest Walker Eccles and Bessie Kelly. He grew up on Ridge Street and Lee Ave, old Reno, and attended Reno High School. He played alto saxophone and while in high school organized a dance band. He completed his undergraduate work in Physics and Mathematics at the University of Nevada Reno, receiving his B.S. degree in Physics in 1952. He continued with a Masters in Physics at LSU Baton Rouge in 1954. He received his PhD degree, with a thesis in experimental nuclear physics from the University of Washington Seattle in 1958. He then spent a year in Amsterdam, Holland doing research at a nuclear physics institute. He served as assistant professor of physics at University of Nevada Reno for three years before joining the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (now LLNL) in 1962. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory he worked in experimental low energy nuclear physics, in neutrino physics, in the top secret "Z Division", with offices inside of a vault, nature to the work never mentioned, and later worked in International Nuclear Proliferation and finally in the Beam Research Program. He was the author of a number of scientific papers on experimental nuclear physics. His memberships in honorary and technical societies include, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, and the American Physical Society. He retired from LLNL in 1990 but continued to work on his rental property and investments until shortly before his death.

Samuel was a multi-engine instrument general aviation pilot and found great pleasure in flying and enjoyed his long friendships with numerous Livermore Lab colleagues who were also pilots at Livermore Municipal Airport. In the late 1980s and early 1990's he served as air boss of the Wings for Charity Air Show program at Livermore Airport.

Samuel was married to Constance Lee Eccles from 1953 to 1990. They had two sons, Stuart and Mark. He remarried in 1992 to Katharine Anne Page, and after her retirement, they moved to Incline Village Nevada. Samuel rekindled his love of tennis, and became avid tennis player earning his membership in "FARTS", one of Incline's tennis clubs. They later moved to Reno keeping a seasonal home in Pleasanton. After a series of strokes, Samuel passed away in Pleasanton. He lies in rest at Mountain View Cemetery, Reno.

Samuel had two brothers: F. Kelly Eccles, Reno Nevada, deceased 1994; and William Eccles, Reno Nevada deceased 2021. Samuel is survived by his wife Katharine Anne and his two sons, Mark and Stuart, daughter in law, Kimberly and grandchildren Katja and Ethan. Samuel was loved very much by his family and will be greatly missed by all.