Leroy Whitaker (50, 52 M.S.), 91, of Dallas, a chemist who was a member of the McConnell Society for endowing The Dr. Leroy Whitaker Scholarship, died June 14.

Dr. Whitaker earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Illinois, then worked as a research chemist for Shell Chemical Company and Jefferson Chemical Company. In 1963, he became a patent agent and earned his law degree at the University of Houston.

He worked as a patent attorney for Eli Lilly and Company in Indiana in 1967, serving the company in various positions and retiring in 1993 as head of the patent department. He then served as a consultant and patent law expert.

An advisory board member for UNT’s Department of Chemistry and the former College of Arts and Sciences, he also chaired a fundraising committee to endow a chemistry chair, and served as the CAS chair for a university-wide capital campaign. He received the UNT Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 and the Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2001.

He was active in his church and other organizations and was the public representative of the Executive Committee of the Market Association Program of the Texas Department of Insurance.

The visitation is scheduled for 10 a.m. and the funeral at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 18, at the Evergreen Cemetery Open Air Chapel in Paris, Texas. Mean Green casual attire is encouraged.