Lee Raleigh Shugart

Lee R. Shugart, Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather died peacefully at home on September 20, 2021. Dr. Shugart was born in Corbin, Kentucky. He was valedictorian of his high school class at St. Camillus Academy. Upon graduation, he attended East Tennessee State University graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry. After his undergraduate studies Dr. Shugart joined the Navy, in which he served for six years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. After his naval service, Lee resumed his academic career at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he earned his Masters Degree in Biochemistry and his Ph.D. in Microbiology. For 29 years Dr. Shugart worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, first in the Biology Division and then in the Environmental Sciences Division, for which he served as a Senior Research Staff Member and Group Leader. Dr. Shugart also served as an adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee’s Center of Environmental Biotechnology and The Department of Ecotoxicology and Evolutionary Biology. He enjoyed professional affiliations with The American Chemical Society, The American Society of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and The Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry. After he retired from ORNL, Dr. Shugart embarked upon a distinguished consulting career, founding L. R. Shugart and Associates. He published numerous scientific articles in journals and books. In 1992, in collaboration with his colleague David Peakall, Dr. Shugart founded and served for 28 years as editor-in-chief of the influential scientific journal Ecotoxicology. For decades he spoke and lectured across the globe, from Italy to Russia, from Holland to Portugal, from Spain to China. More important to Lee than his eminent scientific career was his family life. While at East Tennessee State, Dr. Shugart met and married Mary Susan Ryburn (now deceased), with whom he shared three daughters. In 1984 Dr. Shugart married Shirley Ann Weaver, his wife of 37 years. Preceded in death by his father Lee R. Shugart, Sr., his mother Ethel M. Hill, and his former wife Mary Susan Ferguson, Dr. Shugart is survived by Shirley and his three daughters Anna, Liz, and Nan (Shugarts all). Surviving grandchildren, who knew their doting grandfather as Poppy, include Anna’s sons Aaron Shugart-Brown and Ridge Carter; Liz’s daughter Elaine Carpenter and son Allen Carpenter; and Nan’s daughter Miriam Ryburne-Allan. Among the great grandchildren are Anna Horrocks, Aiden Gouty-Carpenter, Evelynn Carter, and Edison Carter. Sons-in-law are Anna’s husband Michael Carter, Liz’s husband Bill Carpenter, and Nan’s husband Mark Cantley. The surviving grandchildren’s spouses include Aaron’s wife Dorothy Verbick, Ridge’s wife Susan Carter, Allen’s wife Chelsea Gouty, and Miriam’s husband Angus Allan. The family will meet for a private graveside service. To honor Lee’s love of nature, science and environmental education, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tremont Institute (gsmit.org) or Association for Women in Science (awis.org). Please indicate in memory of Lee Shugart.