Daniel J. Antion

Daniel J. Antion, 78, a retired University of South Carolina administrator, died on March 23 at his home in Cayce, S.C., after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Carnegie, Pa., Antion served in the Army before earning a B.A. in chemistry from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., in 1960; an M.S. in physical chemistry from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1966; and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, in 1969.

After working briefly in industry, Antion returned to the University of South Carolina in 1973. During his 28 years there, he served as associate dean in the College of Science & Mathematics, associate provost, and associate director of technology transfer. He retired in 2000.

Antion was a founding member of both the South Carolina Association of Chemistry Teachers and the South Carolina Science Council and was a member of Sigma Xi. He twice served as president of the South Carolina Academy of Science.

He received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science Awareness in 1995, the Helms Citation for Excellence in Science in 1998, and the John Mitchener Award for Exemplary Service in 1999.

Antion, who joined ACS in 1968 and was an emeritus member, was named an ACS Fellow in 2011. He received the Distinguished Service Award of the South Carolina Section in 1979 and 2002. In 2005, the section named its High School Teacher of the Year award in his honor in recognition of Antion’s efforts to promote and enhance professional development opportunities for teachers. He served the section as chair, secretary-treasurer, councilor, and alternate councilor.

He is survived by his sons, Douglas and Robert; his daughter, Cynthia Horne; and four grandchildren as well as his companion, Sondra Wieland.