Jack Calvin Holland
March 5, 2013
From The Daily Mining Gazette
HANCOCK – Jack Calvin Holland, a resident of Hancock, died on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at his home. He was born on March 11, 1925 in Alameda, Calif., son of Calvin and Della (Chart) Holland of Bessemer, Mich. He graduated from Bessemer High School in 1942 and attended Michigan Tech until 1943 when he enlisted in the Navy. Jack served during WW II in the South Pacific on sub chasers and participated in the re-invasion of Corregidor in the Philippine Islands. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Michigan Tech where he obtained Bachelors and Masters degrees in Chemical Engineering.
The Copper Range Mining Company first employed him at Freda, as a chemical engineer in the research that led to the opening of the White Pine Mine in 1950. He then moved to Duluth where he served on the faculty at the University of Minnesota (Duluth) and consulted at St. Luke’s Hospital as a Clinical Chemist. He later directed The Duluth Clinic Medial Laboratories for ten years.
He returned to Michigan Tech in 1963 and earned his Doctoral degree in Chemistry specializing in Biochemistry. He acted as Director of the Clinical Laboratory Science (Medical Technology) degree program until his retirement as a full professor in 1988.
During his teaching career at Michigan Tech he was responsible for the graduation of over 1000 Clinical Laboratory Science Bachelor degree students, 16 Biological Sciences Masters students, and two Biological Sciences Doctoral students. His research work extended from award winning publications in clinical chemistry and cancer research to extensive work with the DNR on the blood chemistry of the Michigan deer herd. Several of his students performed research on the blood chemistry of the Finnish people of the Copper Country including research on the Finnish sauna. One of his doctoral students performed research on the chemistry of the hibernation phenomenon of woodchucks and the application of hibernation to human space exploration.
In 1949 he married Joan Maki, who graduated from Michigan Tech that year with a degree in chemistry and a registry in Medical Technology. They had three children and celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in September of 2012.
He is survived by his wife, Joan; daughters, Jeanne (Alan) Karkkainen, Janice (Earl) Brogan, and June (Robert) Klein; his grandsons Matthew (Bridgett) Karkkainen, Kevin (Carol) Karkkainen, Adam (Courtney) Karkkainen, and Patrick (Kate) Brogan; and great-grandchildren Annika and Anderson Karkkainen, Charlie and Mac Brogan and Owen Karkkainen.
He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Megan Brogan, and a great-granddaughter, Keira Karkkainen.
Dr. Holland frequently described his teaching at Michigan Tech a pleasure because of the intellectual quality of the students. He felt that his highest honors were receiving the Distinguished Teacher Award. On retirement, his faculty and students created the Jack Holland Scholarship in his name (Jack Holland Med Tech Endowed Scholarship at mtu.edu) which continues to help many Michigan Tech students reach their career goals at this time. Jack requested that, in lieu of flowers, gifts be given to the scholarship fund.
Arrangements will be private, per Jack’s request. The Jukuri-Antila Funeral Home of Hancock is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at antilafuneral.com.