Dr. Walter Joseph Frajola, 92, Professor Emeritus Medical Biochemistry of Ohio State University, and of Sun City West, AR, passed away September 17, 2009 at KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS. Cremation. Inurnment in Columbus, Ohio at a later date. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Walter Frajola Scholarship Fund at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Condolences may be sent to www.brucefuneralhome.com

Walt was born November 2, 1916 in Chicago, IL to Louis and Anna Fabri Frajola. He spent his youth in Gilbert, MN, graduated from Gilbert High School in 1933 and had fond memories of the exceptional opportunities of the school system and its many good teachers. Walter continued his dual interests in speech and chemistry at Virginia Junior College, graduating in 1935. After a futile year of seeking employment and being unable to save for advanced schooling, Hamline University asked him if he was willing to work for his education. The counselor found him a job as breakfast cook at Quality Cafeteria, janitor at Elms Co-op rooming house and a full time summer job painting houses. With a Batchelder Memorial Scholarship for his senior year, he graduated with a B.S. cum laude with a double major in chemistry and education in 1938. His final bill with Hamline was settled by a promissory note for $100.00 to be paid at $5.00 per month. Many years later he established an endowed scholarship in chemistry for students from Gilbert and the Iron Range. He taught biology and chemistry and coached debate and oratory at Elk Point, SD, where he met and later married the English Teacher, Ruth Cook. Walt began studying organic chemistry and biochemistry. In 1942 he was an inspector for the Chicago Ordnance District's Twin Cities Division. Walt served in the US Army. He was sent to Officer's Candidate School and as a second lieutenant he was awaiting orders presumably for the invasion of Japan. Fortunately, the atom bombs caused many changes, he eventually landed at Headquarters in Manila, Philippines, where he held various titles dealing with ammunition and bomb disposal and was in charge of the US Ammunition Depot on the outskirts of the city. On his return to the U.S. he enrolled in Chemistry at the University of Illinois with the benefits of the GI Bill of Rights and a graduate teaching assistantship. His wife Ruth and daughter Barbara were unable to join him because on housing was available. She taught high school English and chemistry and was the principal of McHenry High School in ND. He earned his M.S. in 1947 and PhD in Chemistry in 1950. He was hired as Assistant Professor in the Depts. of Medicine and Physiological medicine to do research on Hodgkin Disease. He studied nutritional aspects of the disease, examined cells in the electron microscope and searched for a possible virus by ultracentrifugation of DNA preparations from Hodgkin's tissues. He became the Director of the H.A. Hoster Laboratory. He was the visiting guest Professor of Biochemistry at his alma mater, University of Illinois. Walt served as chairman, treasurer and president of the Ohio Section of the Electron Microscopy Society of America. He was the recipient of a grant to attend the International Congress of Biophysics in Stockholm, Sweden and the Congress of Biochemistry in Moscow, USSR. An exciting event of that meeting was witnessing the parade honoring their first space traveler. Dr. Frajola studied the effects of gravity on the Mercury astronauts before and after their space flights and worked for North American Aviation doing research on astronaut “space foods”. His many varied research interests led to more than 50 refereed publications on enzymes, toxic agents, fluoridation, alcohol and biochemical individuality. He and Dr. Jonas Maurukas developed a glycolethylene treated serum for the calibration of clinical autoanalyzers. The patent was sold to Beckman Instruments and has been a commercial success. Dr. Frajola assembled his arguments into a book in 1980 titled, "Defending Drinking Drivers." He incorporated and became President and Lab director of LABS, Inc. Dr. Frajola retired from OSU in 1976, but maintained consulting activities as a forensic toxicologist specializing in alcohol testing until his death. Walt was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Electron Microscopy Society of American, Ohio Academy of Science, The Society of Sigma XI, and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Dr. Frajola was honored by the Ohio Valley Section of the AACC for his leadership and service to the clinical laboratory profession with the Bernard Katchman Award in 1981. Dr. Basil Doumas, the 1992 president of the AACC awarded Dr. Frajola a presidential citation for "his lifelong commitment, dedication and professional service to the AACC." Walt married Rhoda Mary McDowell Frajola on December 16, 1996 in Philadelphia, PA. They lived in Columbus, Ohio, Redmond, WA and then moved to Sun City West, AR.

He was preceded in death by his parents and first wife of 54 years, Ruth E. Cook Frajola, sisters Benilda and Vera and brother Fred. Walt is survived by his wife Rhoda of Sun City West, AZ; daughter Barbara Atkinson, MD and husband William of Gardner, KS; son Richard Frajola and wife Francine of Taos, NM; step-children Carol Salmacia of Newport Beach, CA and F. James Frajola of Anacortes, WA; grandchildren George Atkinson and wife Julie and Nancy Atkinson Perkins and husband Charles and great grandchildren William and George.