Cornell Memorial Statement for Donald Reddick (March 1, 1883 — April 2, 1955)
"Donald Reddick was born in Sheridan, Missouri on March 1, 1883. In due time he entered Wabash College where he became under the influence of Professor Mason B. Thomas, one of the great teachers of botany, who encouraged him to major in the field of botany. He obtained the degree of A.B. at Wabash in 1905 and came to Cornell that year for graduate study in botany under Professor George F. Atkinson. He was granted the degree of Ph.D. in 1909.
Reddick served first as Assistant in Botany in the College of Arts and Sciences and later as Instructor in the newly established Department of Plant Pathology in the College of Agriculture at Cornell. Subsequently, he became Assistant Professor, Professor, and at his retirement on December 31, 1950, Professor of Plant Pathology, Emeritus.
His early duties at Cornell included the teaching of formal undergraduate courses in principles of plant disease control and the instruction of graduate students in the field of mycology and in methods in the study of plant diseases.
Doctor Reddick’s early contributions to the science of plant pathology included studies on fruit diseases, particularly the black rot of grapes. In the field of fruit disease control he developed effective practices in the use of fungicides in dust form, with particular reference to the time factor. He made significant additions to our knowledge of diseases of beans and of scab, ring-rot and virus diseases of potato. His best known work, however, deals with breeding of potatoes for resistance to the blight disease, a project which he pursued with energy and devotion for many years. In 1930 he visited the mountainous region of Mexico where he collected several species of wild potatoes exhibiting resistance or immunity to blight. With some difficulty he brought these back to Cornell and used them in an extensive breeding program. As a result of this long and painstaking study he produced several hybrid potatoes which combine blight resistance with good market qualities. The most popular of these, the variety Essex, is now being grown in England and New Zealand as well as in the United States.
The personal character of Doctor Reddick was reflected in his research work. His qualities of absolute honesty, attention to detail and high standards, combined with clarity of vision, resulted in attainments of the highest order.
In addition to his teaching and research work, Doctor Reddick was active in other ways in the rapidly expanding field of botanical science. He was one of the pioneers in bringing about the recognition of plant pathology as science in this country. He was one of the original members of the American Phytopathological Society and the first business manager of its official journal, Phytopathology. He served as editor from 1915 to 1918, in 1919 he was elected councillor and in 1920 president. He was also active in the launching of Botanical Abstracts, served on its Board of Control for two years, and represented plant pathology on its editorial board.
Among the honors which came to him was the appointment as Secretary of the Plant Pathology Division of the International Botanical Congress in 1929. He served as Vice President of the Union of Biological Sciences and was for twelve years President of its Section for Plant Pathology. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and served on its council for eight years. He also was a member of the following organizations: Society of American Naturalists, Botanical Society of America, Canadian Phytopathological Society, American Association of University Professors, Gamma Alpha, Sigma Xi, corresponding member of Nederlandsch Botanische Vereeniging and life member of Societe Linneenne der Lyon.
Doctor Reddick’s scientific achievements were specifically recognized by citations for meritorious work by the New York State Potato Association, the Potato Association of America and the Canadian Phytopathological Society.
In 1900 Dr. Reddick married Emma Brill, who died in 1943. The children of this marriage are Robert Brill Reddick, Ithaca, N. Y.; Emma Louise Thompson, Detroit, Michigan; and Anna Elizabeth Dounce, Rochester, New York. In 1946 Dr. Reddick married Adeline Newman who survives him.
Doctor Reddick passed away at his home in Gainesville, Florida on April 2, 1955. The part which he played in the development and progress of the science of Plant Pathology is a lasting monument to his life and work."