HIGHLIGHTS ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 61 IN MEMORIAM Jack Crane, FASM, who served for more than two decades on the University of Connecticut (UConn) Institute of Materials Science External Advisory Board, passed away on September 22 at age 92. He was a tireless advocate for Connecticut’s manufacturing community and a true friend to UConn. Crane received a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University, followed by a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering and materials science from Yale University. He then joined Olin Corp., where he rose to R&D director for new process and product development. Over a distinguished 30-year career at Olin, he worked at the intersection of manufacturing, marketing, licensing, and joint ventures, developing and commercializing new products for both domestic and international markets. After retiring from Olin, Crane redirected his energy toward strengthening the state’s industrial ecosystem. In 1995, he joined CONNSTEP, the Connecticut-based manufacturing consulting organization, as director of growth services. He supported the expansion of technology-based companies while offering guidance to small businesses striving to scale. Crane was a member of both the ASM New Haven and Connecticut Chapters. Donald S. “Don” Dabkowski, age 92, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, died on March 15. He spent his entire career at U. S. Steel as a metallurgical engineer, starting in the research lab in Monroeville and later moving to the company’s headquarters as manager of tubular products. Dabkowski’s career enabled him to travel all over the world. Daniel R. Marantz, TSS-HoF, of Port Washington, New York, passed away on July 4 at age 92. He attended Lafayette College in the 1950s and later served two years in the U.S. Army Radio Corps. After his military service, Marantz held several engineering positions before founding Flame Spray Industries Inc. (FSI) in 1964. Initially a one-man operation until 1988, FSI grew under his leadership, eventually employing a dedicated team. Though he officially retired in 2000, Marantz continued to consult and share his expertise with the team. He produced an extraordinary portfolio of thermal spray devices and processes including: Twistalloy composite feedstock for electric arc spraying, a broad range of automated arc spray systems, PTA, HVOF torch systems, internal-feed multi-plasma spray torches, HVOF torch systems, and the PTWA ID plasma spray torch, still used to coat millions of automotive engine bores. Marantz’s achievements were recognized with numerous patents and honors. Notably, he was named IPO’s 2009 National Inventor of the Year, receiving the award at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Marantz was inducted into the ASM Thermal Spray Society’s Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 1994. David L. Sponseller, FASM, passed away on September 25. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1953 with a bachelor of science degree in metallurgy. He then served in the U.S. Navy through ROTC, spending two years aboard the battleship USS Missouri and the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, followed by two years teaching engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He earned his Ph.D. in metallurgy from the University of Michigan in 1962 and later returned to Notre Dame as a faculty member, where he taught engineering. He joined Climax Molybdenum Lab in 1965, where he developed high strength alloys for jet engines and the energy industry. In 1987, he founded OMNI Metals Laboratory in Ann Arbor, which he led for 38 years. Sponseller continued working at OMNI until the end of his life. His professional accomplishments include six patents, more than 50 publications, and regular participation in national conferences, where he presented research, served on committees, and mentored younger engineers. He was a longtime member of the ASM Detroit Chapter. In 2022, he was selected to deliver the Chapter’s Woodside Lecture, speaking on “The Golden Age of Metallurgy, Our Rich Heritage.” Sponseller was a dedicated ASM member for 75 years. Crane IN MEMORIAM Dabkowski Marantz Sponseller
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