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CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. Seymour P. Keller, a longtime Chappaqua resident, died June 6 in Brighton, Mass. He was 89.
A physicist, Keller was an emeritus of the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights.
After earning a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Chicago, Keller spent his entire research career at IBM. During his tenure, he served as director of the physical science research department and consultant to IBM's director of research.
Keller was the editor of "Handbook of Semiconductors: Materials" in 1980. He also taught at the Universities of Bochum, Grenoble, Stuttgart and Trieste. As a recruiter of research physicists and chemists, he had an uncanny ability to recognize promise and excellence and his support resulted in significant advances in the field of solid state physics.
He is perhaps best remembered by family and friends as an informed cook and gourmet. Keller enjoyed travel and all things intellectual and cultural.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Pearl Josephson; four children, Jan (Howard Schultz), David (Mary Maxwell), Richard (Teruyo Shimazu) and Lisa (Daniel Lee); six grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Memorial services will be held at noon Sunday at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel in Brookline, Mass.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Chicago or the Glaucoma Research Foundation.
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