Norbert Ronald Stalica, age 88, made the journey to his heavenly home on Monday, August 21, 2023. He was born April 14, 1935, in Lackawanna County (Scranton), PA to John and Mary (Kakareka) Stalica. He was a 1952 graduate of South Scranton Catholic High School. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Scranton, graduating cum laude in 1956 with a BS degree in Chemistry. He then went to Penn State and in 1963 earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry. His career has taken him across the East and Midwestern US. Some of his workplaces included Argonne National Laboratories outside of Chicago, IL in the Chemical Engineering Division; Eastman Kodak in Rochester, NY as a Senior Analytical Chemist; and Lockheed Electronics Company in Houston, TX as a Principal Engineer (Chemist) before a job at Bell Laboratories in Columbus brought him to Ohio for the remainder of his career as a Member of the Technical Staff. Some of his defining moments included being the third person to use the scanning x-ray microprobe and the first person to complete a cross-section of uranium oxide plutonium oxide on a 1-micron scale. He also identified the mechanism of corrosion of the fuel cladding by fission products.

He was actively involved in the training and support of parents and teachers of physically handicapped, developmentally disabled, and mentally retarded children and gave graduate-level seminars at Ohio State University. He was a very active parishioner at St. Pius X Parish for over 50 years and enjoyed his involvement in Christ Renews His Parish, Marriage Encounter, Parish Council, CCD, and as a lector and extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist.

His most important achievement was the family he built with his beloved wife of 56 years, Rose Marie (Smith). He is survived by his loving family: siblings, Yolanta, Lawrence (Carol), and Joseph (Manya) Stalica; children- Susan (Tod) Gilmore, Norbert Stalica Jr., John Stalica, David (Kelly) Stalica, and Elizabeth (Thomas) Barley; grandchildren Jacob (Maddie), Karen (Kevin Johar), Christina, Daniel, Tommy, Sam, Luke, Jack, and Grace Gilmore, Elijah and Alexander Stalica, and Olivia and Henry Barley; great-granddaughter Brigid Gilmore and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary (Kakareka) Stalica, daughter Mary Jane Stalica and daughter-in-law Renee Stalica; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in his memory to the St. Vincent dePaul Society. Friends may call on Monday, August 28, from 4-8 PM at the PFEIFER-WOODYARD FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES, 7915 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Tuesday, August 29, at 10:30 AM, at the ST. PIUS X CHURCH, 1051 Waggoner Rd., Reynoldsburg, with Fr. Milton Kiocha officiating. Friends and family are asked to meet at church. Procession will line up at church. Burial will follow Mass in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Pataskala. Luncheon to follow in the Msgr. Funk Parish Center.