Ralph G. Pearson, age 103, died peacefully on October 12, 2022 of natural causes. Dr. Pearson was raised in Chicago, earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern followed by a stint in the Army Air Force. He returned to Evanston to join the Northwestern Chemistry Department until he came to UCSB in 1976. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1989, and continued his active research until his death. Dr. Pearson originated the concept of Hard and Soft Acids and Bases; published over 200 influential 200 papers and monographs, and 3 Textbooks. Ralph was a Guggenheim Fellow, received numerous awards, and in 1974 was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, widely accepted as a one of the highest honors a scientist can receive. As entertaining and irreverent as he was brilliant, he was a loving husband to Lenore who predeceased him, and devoted to his children John, Barry and Christie Pearson; his grandchildren Segrid Pearson, Erikka Sagor and Leif Pearson; and great-grandchildren Dolly O’Dell, Anders and Tiernan Pearson and Floyd, Otis and Anna Sagor. The family would like to thank the staff and care team at Abundant Care in Santa Barbara for their kindness and dedication to Ralph during the last years of his life.
