Obituary for Eugene Hinton Avrett
Eugene Hinton Avrett, age 89, died at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Wednesday April 5, 2023. Gene is survived by his husband Jeffrey Miller and his children Brett Auclaire and Sam Avrett.
Gene Avrett was born October 28th, 1933 in Atlanta, Georgia. He studied physics at Georgia Tech, and achieved a PhD in Astrophysics at Harvard University in 1962. He then worked at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics for 60 years from 1962 to 2022, serving as Associate Director for Solar, Stellar & Planetary Sciences during 1996-2004. Gene was an editor for The Astrophysical Journal, a longtime member of the American Astrophysical Society and International Astronomical Union, and a lead author or co-author on over 100 peer-reviewed papers.
Gene was truly a gentle man and a scientist, eternally diplomatic and kind. He lived for more than 30 years in North Andover, Massachusetts, raising a family and serving twice as president of the local historical society. He then moved back to Cambridge for 25 years where he and his husband Jeff lived a full and active life.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend a Memorial Visitation from the Keefe Funeral Home, 2175 Mass Ave, NORTH CAMBRIDGE, on Saturday, April 15th, from 2-4PM. Burial will be Private.Those wishing to honor his life may make a donation in Gene’s name to the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics at https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/support-our-science or to the Gamma Mu Foundation at https://gammamufoundation.org/how-to-donate/ .
Gene Avrett was born October 28th, 1933 in Atlanta, Georgia. He studied physics at Georgia Tech, and achieved a PhD in Astrophysics at Harvard University in 1962. He then worked at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics for 60 years from 1962 to 2022, serving as Associate Director for Solar, Stellar & Planetary Sciences during 1996-2004. Gene was an editor for The Astrophysical Journal, a longtime member of the American Astrophysical Society and International Astronomical Union, and a lead author or co-author on over 100 peer-reviewed papers.
Gene was truly a gentle man and a scientist, eternally diplomatic and kind. He lived for more than 30 years in North Andover, Massachusetts, raising a family and serving twice as president of the local historical society. He then moved back to Cambridge for 25 years where he and his husband Jeff lived a full and active life.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend a Memorial Visitation from the Keefe Funeral Home, 2175 Mass Ave, NORTH CAMBRIDGE, on Saturday, April 15th, from 2-4PM. Burial will be Private.Those wishing to honor his life may make a donation in Gene’s name to the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics at https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/support-our-science or to the Gamma Mu Foundation at https://gammamufoundation.org/how-to-donate/ .