YOUR ASSOCIATION
IN MEMORIAM
Michael D. Ells Michael D. Ells of Big Rapids, Michigan, passed away on February 4, 2024. He attended Oregon State University before graduating with a degree in public health from Washington State University. He began his public health career in Aberdeen, Washington, before moving to Hawaii, where he attended the University of Hawaii to earn a master of public health. He also completed a post-graduate fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. Ells was devoted to academics and proud to be a professor of environmental health at Ferris State University for 34 years. Voted by his peers as a Distinguished Faculty Member, he encouraged spirited inquiry from his students and inspired them to be life- long learners as he was through his research. One area of research interest was the human impact of the mountaineering community climbing at Mount Rainier National Park. Lastly, for 33 years, Ells was the faculty adviser to the student-led Ferris Environmental Health Association, winner of Best Student Environmental Health chapter in the nation many times. With a heart for service to others, Ells participated in public health campaigns and was not deterred by challenging opposition. He was proud of his years of service to the governing board of Mecosta County General Hospital in Big Rapids, Michigan. He was also a Diplomate of the American Academy of Sanitarians. We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and col- leagues of Ells. He fostered the growth of numerous students and built capacity within our profession through the students he taught and the passion he shared for environmental health. He will be greatly missed. Source: Big Rapids Daily News (https://bigrapidsdailynews.com/ obituaries/743613/). Horace E. Jones, Jr. Horace E. Jones, Jr. passed away on May 11, 2024. He retired from the Virginia Department of Health in Fairfax County, where he had been employed since serving in the U.S. Navy and graduating from East Tennessee State University. He was the program manager for the Fairfax County Division of Environmental Health. He oversaw the monitoring and enforcement of state and local codes for food safety, swimming pools, housing hygiene, water supplies, and sew- age disposal systems. Throughout his career, Horace was active in numerous pro- fessional organizations including the Virginia Environmental Health Association, Virginia Public Health Association, National Capital Area Environmental Health Association, and National Environmental Health Association (NEHA). He served as NEHA president from 1988–1989, which was a great honor to him. In his President’s Message column from the November/December 1988 Journal of Environmental Health , Jones talked about the value of NEHA membership. He recalled being asked at an ali- ate conference what NEHA had done for him. His answer was a
reflection of his dedication to NEHA: “For everything I have done for NEHA, I have had a three-fold return in educational benefits and through the friendships I have made worldwide. What has NEHA done for me? It has been a major part of my life for the past 15 years.” In his final President’s Message column in the May/June 1989 Journal , he talked about how he would answer the question of why he wanted to be president of NEHA. His answer highlighted how much he valued the professionals within environmental health: “I have been president of many organizations, so being president was nothing new, but I still like the honor and prestige that is associ- ated with the oce. After serving a full year as the NEHA president and after my visit to the Soviet Union and the many state aliates, I have come to the conclusion that if asked that question today, I would answer, ‘I wanted to be president of NEHA because of YOU, the NEHA membership.’ Being president has given me the oppor- tunity to meet some of the finest professionals in the world. As I leave the oce, it is these friendships that I will remember and cherish the most.” We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and col- leagues of Jones. We are indebted to him for the leadership he will- ingly gave to our organization and the many environmental health professionals he inspired through his long career in environmental health. He will be greatly missed.
Herman Koren
Herman Koren, MPH, HSD, DLAAS, REHS, passed away in April 2024. He had more than 65 years of practical experience in the environmental and public health field. He continued to contribute to the profession through many endeavors and presentations up until his death. Over his career, he was an environmental health practitioner, professor, researcher, consultant, and mentor. He was also the author of 22 books. Dr. Koren was a long-time member of NEHA. In 2005, Dr. Koren received the Walter S. Mangold Award, the highest honor NEHA can bestow on an environmental health professional. He was also
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Volume 87 • Number 2
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