Submitted by: Dan Rich
June 18, 1914 - May 15, 1997
South Bend Tribune 5/18/1997
Julius T. Banchero, 82, Emeritus Professor and former Chairman of Notre Dame's Chemical Engineering Department, died of cancer on May 15, 1997, at his home in South Bend. Dr. Banchero, a native of New York City, received an A.B. from Columbia College in 1933, a B.S. from Columbia University in 1935, an M.S. from Columbia University in 1936, and a Ph.D., from University of Michigan in 1950. He joined the Notre Dame faculty as chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department in 1959.
As department chairman, he spearheaded the development of a Ph.D. program in chemical engineering. During his 20-year tenure as professor and chairman, he guided the expansion and maturation of graduate students in chemical engineering.
He held leadership positions in several national engineering societies, including the American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Society for Engineering Education and served on the board of Argonne National Laboratory. Dr. Banchero was a member of Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma XI and Tau Beta Pi.
He wrote numerous publications in his research areas of separation processes and plant design. In addition, he co-authored two widely used undergraduate textbooks in chemical engineering, ''Introduction to Chemical Engineering'' (1955) and ''Unit Operations'' (1950).
After Dr. Banchero became an Emeritus Professor in 1979, he continued to be actively involved in the department, teaching undergraduate courses in design and unit operations until his retirement in 1995.
Dr. Banchero married Faye Mambourg in 1938. She died in 1985. He is survived by three daughters, Julia DeMoss of Philadelphia, Mary Peltier of South Bend and Barbara Hoffmann of Helena, Mont.; two grandsons, Edward and Daniel Peltier; and one granddaughter, Kristin Hoffmann.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in Sacred Heart Basilica, Notre Dame. There is no visitation. Memorial contributions may be made to the scholarship fund of the University of Notre Dame. The Hickey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.