Pitt chemistry prof Shepherd dies

Pitt has lost an “encyclopedia of chemistry,” according to one Pitt professor.

But students… Pitt has lost an “encyclopedia of chemistry,” according to one Pitt professor.

But students did not access the store of encyclopedic chemistry knowledge, described by Pitt Prof. Rob Coalson, in the library – they found it in their professor, Dr. Rex Shepherd.

Shepherd, 57, died Monday afternoon in his home due to a heart condition, according to the city coroner’s office.

Many remember him as both a dedicated teacher and as a brilliant chemist.

“A lot of undergraduates will miss having Rex as a teacher,” Tara Meyer, his administrative assistant, said, adding that his door was always open to both students and colleagues.

Coalson, Shepherd’s colleague and friend of 15 years, recalled Shepherd’s dedication to his job and said he influenced both undergraduate and graduate students with his commitment and strong work ethic.

“He really put in a lot of heart and soul,” Coalson said, describing how Shepherd would stop what he was doing if somebody needed his help.

Shepherd joined the Pitt faculty in the fall of 1975. According to Prof. David Pratt, Shepherd was most enthusiastic about bio-inorganic chemistry – the study of how inorganic ions, such as copper and iron, play a role in biology and the function of biological systems.

“We’re going to miss him a lot,” Pratt said, adding that he would remember Shepherd for his enthusiasm and his “genuine spirit.”

Shepherd is survived by a sister, who arrived in Pittsburgh from North Carolina Thursday morning.

A memorial, open to the public, will be held on Monday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Glenshaw.