In Memory
RONALD W. PRZYBYLINSKI
Ronald "Ron" William Przybylinski Sept. 15, 1953 - March 12, 2015 SOUTH BEND - Ron Przybylinski, 61, of St. Charles, MO, (formerly of South Bend, IN) passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Thursday, March 12, 2015, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL. He was born on September 15, 1953, to Casimir and Helen (Jaworski) Przybylinski in South Bend, IN. His father preceded him in death.
Ron was a Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in St. Louis, MO. During his NWS career which spanned 35 years, Ron made major contributions to operational meteorology with his work in the identification of radar structures and patterns that were associated with strong and damaging winds. His research efforts in documenting many cases of thunderstorms associated with severe winds and tornadoes, and his lifelong dedication to mentoring and science sharing aided countless warning forecasters and improved warning lead times.
Ron graduated in 1972 from Washington High School in South Bend, IN. He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Meteorology at Saint Louis University in 1977 and 1981, respectively.
Ron began his full-time public service career at the Indianapolis NWS Forecast Office in 1981. In 1991, Ron was selected as the first Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in St. Louis, where he remained for the rest of his career. However, Ron's contributions extended far beyond both Indianapolis and St. Louis. In the late 1980s, Ron was instrumental in helping bring new, life-saving technology to operations by serving as a project leader on the Operational Test and Evaluation of the WSR-88D Doppler radar. He studied linear thunderstorms and their associated winds and tornadoes throughout the 1980s, writing a seminal paper on bow echoes in 1995. He was an organizer and key participant in the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment from May 20 to July 6, 2003.
Throughout his career, Ron enthusiastically shared his research with his peers at the NWS and with students at Universities across the nation. He mentored countless young NWS forecasters and provided scientific support to many NWS Science and Operations Officers. He was a principal investigator on the severe straight-line winds component of the COMET Cooperative Project with Saint Louis University as well as being involved with the Cooperative Institute for Precipitation Studies (CIPS).
Through his years of research efforts and operational experience, Ron became a recognized expert on quasi-linear convective systems (QLCS), bow echoes, mesoscale convective systems, and convective winds and tornadogenesis associated with these thunderstorm structures. He was also a recognized expert on tornado damage assessment, and was on the National Weather Service's Quick Response Team, a group of experts who are rushed to assess damage from particularly damaging tornadoes (>EF 3). Throughout his career, Ron was always eager to share his expertise with operational meteorologists across the nation. Ron's most recent research efforts were concentrated on detection of QLCS tornadoes. As a direct result of his research and training efforts, the National Weather Service Forecast Office in St. Louis was able to triple average lead times during the December 31, 2010, QLCS tornado outbreak. He also participated heavily in the construction of National Center for Atmospheric Research COMET training (particularly on bow echoes). Ron helped organize two operational workshops on bow echoes and QLCS tornadoes, most recently in March 2011 in St. Louis. He published numerous scientific papers and gave many American Meteorological Society (AMS) and National Weather Association (NWA) conference presentations.
He served on the AMS Severe Local Storms Committee, and twice served as a Councilor of the NWA. He was the recipient of the NWA Operational Research Award in 1989 and the 2003 NWA T. Theodore Fujita Research Achievement Award "for outstanding applied research in radar analysis of severe storms and in forecasting of heavy rainfall and winter storms, and for incorporating research results including the development of conceptual storm models into improving forecasting and warning operations." In 2012 he was honored with the Charles L. Mitchell Award by the AMS "for improving NWS warnings through collaborative research and training in recognizing Doppler radar signatures associated with high wind events in quasi-linear convective systems." In 2013 NOAA honored Ron with the Distinguished Career Award "for his work, which has improved our understanding of severe weather threats to our Nation, including damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes." Ron's intense curiosity about the science of meteorology, his selflessness in working with countless young scientists across the country, and his unwavering dedication to public service will live on in all those fortunate enough to have known him. Ron will be missed by the many who had the privilege to work with him over his long and very productive career in the National Weather Service, and we extend our condolences to his family.
Ron is survived by his mother, Helen Przybylinski of South Bend, IN; two sisters, Janice Rowan and Joan (Gary) Kasznia, both of South Bend, IN; six nephews, William Bokhart, Matthew Bokhart, Andrew Rowan, Steven Kasznia, James Kasznia and Cole Kasznia. Ron was a parishioner at St. Hedwig Parish, and while living in St. Charles, MO, he was a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish. Ron was a member of the Amateur Radio Club; American Meteorological Society; and The National Weather Association.
Family and friends will gather from 2-4 & 5-8 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2015, at Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend, IN, where a Parish Rosary will be prayed at 5:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2015, at St. Hedwig Catholic Church, 331S. Scott Street, South Bend, IN. A graveside service will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. The family wishes to thank the staff at both Northwestern University Hospital and Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, IL. Memorial contributions may be made to: The American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231; American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or St. Hedwig Catholic Church, 331 S. Scott Street, South Bend, IN 46601. To send online condolences, please visit, www.kaniewski.com.
Published by South Bend Tribune on Mar. 19, 2015
05/12/2023 EJS
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