PERLIN, Professor Arthur S.

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Professor Arthur Saul Perlin, a devoted husband, beloved father and grandfather, and a respected colleague, researcher, and teacher at Mcgill University. He died peacefully at home on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, just shy of his ninety-seventh birthday. Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Professor Perlin grew up working at The Sanitary Dairy owned by his parents, before moving to Montreal to study chemistry (and music) at Mcgill University where he received his Master and PHD degrees. He was a true renaissance man - he sang tenor, performed as a Cantor at the synagogue, explored the countryside voraciously on foot, bicycle, or skis, and played a mean defense on the ice. He moved to Ottawa to work with the National Research Council (NRC), and snagged the Regional Singles Ladies’ tennis champion, Ruth Freedman, with whom he had five children. The family first lived in Saskatoon, where Professor Perlin headed up the Chemistry Department at the NRC, University of Saskatchewan. The family relocated to Montreal in 1967, when he accepted the EB Eddy Professorship of Industrial Chemistry at Mcgill and the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada. While at Mcgill, Professor Perlin mentored countless graduate and post-doctoral students who went on to hold key positions in chemistry departments and industry globally. His research and publications represent major contributions to the fields of organic chemistry and NMR spectroscopy. One of his discoveries about the nature of molecular bonding was named after him: "The Perlin Effect". He became an Emeritus Professor in 1991 but continued to do research and mentor post-doctoral students.

Professor Perlin will be remembered for his kindness and compassion, his love of his family, his devotion to his work, his passion for opera and classical music, skiing, and travel, and his beautiful tenor voice. He will be greatly missed by his wife Ruth; his children Anna (Patrick), Louise (Jan), Deborah (Robert), Myra-elizabeth (Douglas) and David (Mary); his grandchildren Daniel, Jonathan, Ben, Chris, Molly, Adam and Theo; and all those who knew him. Professor Perlin’s family wish to express their gratitude to the staff of Place Kensington, especially Josephine, Cherry and Sandra for their devoted care, and to Dr. Robert Iny, for his sensitivity and compassion in the final days and hours of Professor Perlin’s life. Contributions in his memory may be made to the "Professor Arthur S. Perlin Bursary" c/o Mcgill University, visit http://www.mcgill.ca/give using code 07744, or by mail: Mcgill Donation Services, 1430, rue Peel, Montreal (Quebec) H3A 3T3 (noting on memo line: Prof. Perlin, Bursary - alloc. 07744). Arrangements entrusted to Paperman & Sons.