Michail . Schaedle

Michail Schaedle, PhD, beloved father and grandfather, husband, brother, and uncle, died Friday, August 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after a prolonged period of illness and infirmity.  Michail Schaedle was a Professor Emeritus in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry of the State University of New York in Syracuse, having retired a full Professor in 1994.  He was born December 27, 1927 in Tallinn, Estonia to Erich Schaedle and Maria von Brevern, but lived for much of his life in Central New York in Syracuse, Skaneateles, and DeWitt.  Dr. Schaedle was an immigrant to the New World, leaving Europe in the aftermath of World War II.  He started his life in the Americas in British Colombia in Canada, working in logging camps and as a railroad mechanic.  Overcoming deep poverty and after ensuring that his mother and siblings were also able to emigrate to North America (they settled in Canada and in the United States), Professor Schaedle earned a scholarship to the University of British Colombia, where he studied biology and soil sciences.  Achieving academic distinction, he obtained his masters and PhD at the Department of Soils and Plant Nutrition at the University of California, Berkeley.  At Berkeley, Dr. Schaedle studied and worked with Professor Melvin Calvin, the Nobel-Prize winning biologist, who conducted ground breaking studies on plant photosynthesis, including identifying the “Calvin Cycle” in respect of photosynthetic reactions.  In working with Professor Calvin, Professor Schaedle found his true intellectual calling, studying plant physiology and nutrition for the rest of his working life.  At Berkeley, he met his wife, Marguerite Ybarrondo.

After completing his PhD, he joined SUNY ESF’s Department of Forest Botany and Pathology in 1965 as Associate Professor, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Herb Tepper.   His courses included Nutritional Physiology of Plants,  Ecological Physiology of Plants,  Techniques in Plant Physiology, Plant Physiology Laboratory and an advanced course in  Photosynthesis.   Dr. Schaedle’s research focused on photosynthesis in the bark of poplar trees and the isolation of photosynthetically active cells and chloroplasts from tree leaves.  His studies also covered the carbon metabolism of spinach chloroplasts (using spectrophotometric and radioautographic  techniques),  the effects of acid deposition on forest communities, and the biogeochemistry of aluminum.  Professor Schaedle was much published, a strong scientist and a dedicated conservationist, who taught and mentored generations of biologists and biochemists as undergraduates and graduate students at SUNY ESF  – a college he esteemed.

Making Central New York his home with Marguerite (who passed away in 2003) and his son, Michael, Dr. Schaedle loved the High Peaks in the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes country.  He was a runner, a skier and he explored every reach, hollow and back corner of Upstate New York with Marguerite and Michael, in the short vibrant springs and deep green summers of the place.  A good day was a day spent in his garden, hands in earth, or in the kitchen attempting to bake good bread (he never quite succeeded in figuring out that kind of chemistry).  Professor Schaedle was a proud, naturalized citizen of the United States, who believed in the promise of America.  He was an optimist, who began each day with good cheer and a bounce in his step, head held high.  To his family, Dr. Schaedle epitomized rationality, logic, industry, loving kindness, honesty, patience and duty.  He is survived by his son, Michael Schaedle, his daughter in law, Maria Sisto, his granddaughter, Zoe Schaedle, his step-daughter, Vicenta Uhalde and her children, Cameron Uhalde and Arianna Uhalde, his brother, Nikita Powszedny, his sister, Olga Kulak, his sister, Maria Lomakin, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to Viewing on Friday, August 31 at 10 a.m. at St. Andrews Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 707 N. 5th St., Philadelphia. A Funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m.  Interment will be in West Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Condolences may be shared at www.kollerfuneralhome.com

KOLLER FUNERAL HOME

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