Norman Haard: Food biochemist

Haard

Professor Emeritus Norman Haard, a food biochemist who retired in 2003, died June 29 at his home in Magalia (Butte County) after a nine-year battle with cancer. He was 70.

“In many ways, Norm’s life centered around the central theme of fish,” said Vicky Haard, his wife of 48 years. “Fish were not only the subject of his scientific research, fishing was also his favorite hobby, fish his favorite food and the fisherman a symbol in his Christian faith,” she said.

Norm Haard joined the UC Davis faculty in 1986 as a professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology.

“The department wanted to find the best scientist in the country to advance our understanding of the biochemistry of fish and seafood,” recalled Professor Emeritus Larry Merson, former department chair. “At the same time, we wanted to find someone who understood the importance of the seafood industry with respect to the American diet. We found that unique person in Norm Haard.”

Merson noted that Haard brought with him a stellar record of research and teaching in marine resources, as well as experience working on the biochemistry of fruits and cereals.

Haard’s 35-year career began with postharvest physiology studies of fruits and vegetables. But, after becoming familiar with the strong fisheries of Newfoundland, he changed his research focus to the postharvest physiology and biochemistry of marine substrates, which are the molecules on which enzymes act.

Broadly, his food biochemistry research focused on the science and technology of marine food products, use of fishery by-products and unconventional species, and the role of enzymes in seafood processing.

Haard, a native of Queens, New York City, earned a bachelor’s degree in food science from Rutgers University in 1963 and a doctoral degree in food biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1967.

After serving a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for Enzyme Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he returned to Rutgers to join the faculty of the Department of Food Science in 1968. He served as a professor of biochemistry at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, from 1976 to 1986.

Haard authored more than 250 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and served for 30 years as associate editor and then editor-in-chief of the Journal of Food Biochemistry. He contributed to several textbooks and held four patents.

He advised and mentored more than 100 master’s and doctoral degree students from around the world; and he helped in the establishment of higher education food biochemistry programs, or aided them, in China, Pakistan, Mexico, Uruguay, Thailand and Canada.

He was a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists and received the institute’s Samuel Cate Prescott Award for research. He was named the young scientist of the year in Canada, and received the Earl P. McFee Award from the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference.

Haard grew up fishing with his father in the Atlantic, and the younger Haard would go on to fish the Pacific and throughout the United States, as well as Newfoundland, New Zealand, Mexico and Ghana. 

He was active in churches in Davis and Paradise (Butte County), and in The Gideons International, which distributes Bibles in more than 180 countries.

In addition to his wife, his survivors include three children, Elizabeth Schatz, Theodore Haard and Daniel Haard; and six grandchildren.

A memorial service was held July 6 in Paradise. Memorial donations may be made to the Ridge Presbyterian Church Mission Fund or to The Gideons International, in care of Newton-Bracewell Funeral Home, 680 Camellia Way, Chico 95926.

Ming Wong: Professor of parasitology

Wong

Ming Wong, 84, a professor emerita of parasitology, died June 28 of lung cancer at a retirement community in Media, Pa. She had moved there recently from Davis.

She began her career in parasite research in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. She joined the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis in 1967, and subsequently became a full professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at the School of Veterinary Medicine.

She was a longtime resident of Davis, where she was among the co-founders of the Davis Chinese Christian Church.

Wong, who retired in 1988, had published or presented 190 scientific papers or meeting abstracts and had written several books. She composed 29 songs as memory aids, to help student learn the names of parasites; the songs are being distributed around the world.

The Singapore native received a bachelor’s degree in biology at Wilmington College, Ohio, in 1952; a Master of Science degree in zoology at Ohio State University in 1953; and a doctorate in medical parasitology at Tulane University in 1963.

Wilmington College honored her in 1984 as a distinguished alumna.

She is survived by two sisters, Stella Lee and Phyllis Gilmour, and a brother, Lik Wong.

A celebration of her life is planned at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28, at the Davis Chinese Christian Church, 536 Anderson Road (parking at 635 Anderson Road).

Donations in her memory may be made to the Davis Chinese Christian Church, for the Seminary Scholarship Fund.