Frank P. McWhorter
Frank P. McWhorter, "Mac", formerly Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, died November 16, 1985, in Carmel, California, following a brief illness.
Mac was born on April 20, 1896, in Nashville, Tennessee. He obtained his B.S. degree from Vanderbilt University in 1917. From 1918 to 1920 he was Fellow at the University of Chicago where he obtained his M.S. degree. He joined the College of Agriculture at Los Banos, the Philippines, in 1920 and was acting head of the Department of Plant Pathology during 1921 and 1922. He received his Ph.D. in plant Pathology from Cornell University in 1928. He was a member of the American Phytopaptholgocial Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi, and Biological Photographic Association.
Following research at the Virginia Truck Experiment Station during 1924 - 1929, he joined the Oregon State University in 1930 as a collaborator, Agricultural Research Service, USDA in the diseases of ornamental plants. He served as an FAO virologist in the Philippines 1958 - 1959 where he developed a research program for cadang cadang diseases. After retirement from the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology in 1967, he moved to California.
Dr. Frank P. McWhorter, an individualist in research and personality, is recognized for his highly original and numerous contributions to plant pathology, biological photography, and science in general. He maintained and increased his enthusiasm for research into his 89th year, still studying desert lichens, his first love as a graduate student.