Obituary of Paul Kunasz

Paul Belknap Kunasz of Boulder died, Friday, August 14, 2015. He was 73. A Celebration of Paul’s Life will take place in late September. Paul was born November 27, 1941 to Paul and Isabelle Kunasz (Belknap) of Hollywood, CA. He attended Midland School in Los Olivos, CA, before earning his Bachelors of Arts in Physics at Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Physics and Astrophysics at University of Colorado at Boulder. Paul taught math and science at Villa Park High School in Villa Park, CA in 1966 to 1967 and at Midland High School in Los Olivos, CA in 1967-1969. He became a research assistant, JILA, at the University of Colorado from 1969 to 1974, and was a research associate from 1974 to 1976. Post 1976 he worked as an independent consultant on physics/astrophysics for clients including the University of Paris/Observatoire de Meudon, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (radiative transfer and atmospheric chemistry), and the National Science Foundation through the University of Toledo, OH. He consulted for the Los Alamos and Livermore National Laboratories, including work on projects later used for diagnostic medical applications. He did research for the TRW Corporation in Denver to optimize reduction of particulate pollution at an Arco site in Butte, MT. He gave invited talks at a number of national and international venues, and wrote many research papers on his work. Paul’s family and friends will always remember his many gifts: as a hiking, climbing, kayaking, bicycling and swimming companion; his deep kindness and special favors to many; his creativity; his talent for explaining complex ideas in physics; his many years of contributions to the Cosmology and Modern Physics Boulder Library discussion group; his interest and insights in philosophy; his sense of humor; his delightful and unique personality; and his great care and devotion to his wife, who loved him beyond measure. He helped Tibetan refugees who came to Boulder as part of the Tibetan Resettlement Project, and aided his wife in her work for Friends of Tibetan Settlements in India (FOTSI), a registered non-profit corporation. Most of all, he found a way to simply be there for people when it was needed most, in a quiet way that did not bring attention to himself. He is survived by his wife Chela Kunasz of Boulder, CO and his brother Peter B. (Diana) Kunasz of Fallbrook, CA. Contributions; Midland School Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 8, 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441.