Dorothy L. Lesh

Although not a chemist, the late Dorothy Lesh was a devoted ACS member for 63 years, active in the ACS Central North Carolina section, and spent thirty-five years working with chemical literature in two industrial companies and one university research area. Dorothy, known by her friends and colleagues as "Dottie," spent a life impassioned by the chemical sciences. She remembered American Chemical Society in her estate with a generous bequest.

In 1992, Dorothy established endowments that recognized her commitment to chemical information research and the American Chemical Society, and to her alma mater, Penn State University. Getting a head start on her legacy, Dorothy established an endowment with Penn State that provides access today to American Chemical Society's Chemical Abstract Service (CAS). According to Dorothy, "Every chemist, no matter what career is chosen, should have a well-rounded knowledge of the sources of chemical information and how to locate the latest information in order to do one's very best work."

Dorothy's life's passion was finding scientific information for others. "...I feel that I have a professional obligation to return to some educational source a part of what I have gained from my work...finding information for other people was my life, my livelihood..."

In addition to establishing the Dorothy L. Lesh Chemical Literature Library at Pennsylvania State University, Dorothy left a bequest to the American Chemical Society. She is honored on the roster of American Chemical Society Legacy Leaders, her legacy to chemical sciences information and the chemical profession lives on.