Obituary of Donald Moreland

Dr. Donald E. Moreland, 90, of Raleigh passed away April 23, 2010.

He was born in Enfield, Connecticut, October 12, 1919, the son of the late Albert S. and Ruth C. Moreland. He attended the public schools of Springfield, Massachusetts, graduated from high school in 1937, and served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from October 1941 until August 1946. Following separation from the Army, he received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Forestry under the G.I. Bill and the Ph.D. degree in Plant Physiology from N.C. State University, the latter as a recipient of an Atomic Energy Pre-doctoral Fellowship.

From 1952 to 1953, Dr. Moreland was employed as a Plant Physiologist by the Research Foundation, New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse. From late 1953 until retirement in 1995, he was employed by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Plant Physiologist and was a member of the faculty at N.C. State University. He served in various capacities with the USDA including Research Leader and Location Coordinator. In recognition of his research accomplishments, he was honored with a Superior Service Award by the USDA in 1976.In 1987 he became a charter member of the U.S. Government's Senior Executive Service and received a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award for being a Meritorious Executive based on his research leadership and administrative accomplishments. At the time of his retirement, he held an academic appointment as Professor of Crop Science, Botany, Forestry and Toxicology. During his career, he guided the research activities of both graduate students and Postdoctoral Fellows. Together with co-workers and graduate students, Dr. Moreland published over 200 scientific papers and abstracts. These reported results of research conducted on oxidative and photosynthetic electron transport and phosphorylation, the characterization of plant cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, and the biochemical mechanisms of action of phytotoxic chemicals and plant growth regulators.

Dr. Moreland was a member of several honor societies that included Alpha Zeta, Blue Key, Gamma Sigma Delta, Phi Eta Sigma, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Xi Sigma Pi and the social fraternity of Alpha Gamma Rho. He was an active member, until retirement, of several scientific and professional societies including the American Society of Plant Physiologists, Botanical Society of America, American Chemical Society, Plant Growth Regulator Society of America, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and the International Photosynthesis Congress, and was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Weed Science Society of America. He traveled extensively and presented the results of his laboratory's research at meetings of the above scientific societies, the Gordon Research Conferences and at invitational lectures at universities and chemical companies in the U.S. and over 15 foreign countries,

Dr. Moreland was inducted into the U.S. Army on October 8, 1941, two months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. His active service included 41 months overseas in the Southwest Pacific Theatre with the Signal Intelligence Service, the forerunner of the Army Security Agency and the National Security Agency. Following separation from active duty in 1946, he joined the Army Reserves and retired in 1979 with the rank of Colonel after having served in the military for 38 years. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Reserve Officers Association of the United States and a member of the Association of the United States Army and the Military Officers Association of America.

He is survived by his daughter, Donna F. Moreland and her husband David Britt of Cary; sister, Marjorie L. Webster and her husband Russell of Longmeadow, Mass; brother, Hubert K. Moreland of Springfield, Mass.; daughter in-law, Sandra Bossie and her husband Alan of Raleigh; stepson, Paul Ziglar and his wife Tamara of Clover, SC; sisters in-law, Eloise Partin, Hettie Wilson and Eranda Stallings; brother in-law, J.W. Stallings of Windsor and step grandchildren, Frank C. Ziglar III, Jacqueline and Samantha McBride, and Robin Reeves. He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Verdie S. Moreland and a stepson, Frank C. Ziglar, Jr.

Dr. Moreland enjoyed photography, square dancing, wood working, surf-fishing and gardening with an emphasis on Satsuki azaleas, camellias and shade tolerant perennials. He was a member of the Azalea Society of America and the American Camellia Society. He was an active and long time supporter of the N.C. Museum of Art, N.C. State Alumni Association, the Wolfpack Club and the Friends of the NCSU Libraries. He was instrumental in establishing facility, staff and book endowments with the NCSU Libraries and graduate fellowships and scholarships in several NCSU Colleges.

The family will receive friends at Montlawn Funeral Home from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday.

Graveside Funeral Service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, with full military honors at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Friends of the Libraries at N.C. State University, Campus Box 7011, Raleigh, NC 27695 or to Hospice of Wake County, 2500 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Arrangements are by Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, N.C. Condolences may be made at www.montlawn.com