Albert Kenneth Showalter


Albert K. Showalter

Martha Bond Hawes Showalter, Wedding Photo, 1936
born: 12 Feb 1908, Delmar, Clinton Co.,Iowa
died: 15 Mar 1986, Fairfax,Virginia, at Commonwealth Hospital
bur.: Georgetown,Delaware
occu: meteorologist
spouse: Martha Bond HAWES
marr: 28 Nov 1936, Washington,DC, at Sacred Heart Church
Children:
Albert Kenneth Showalter
John Gordan Showalter
Martha Lisa Showalter
Robert Lawrence Showalter
James Michael Showalter
infant daughter Showalter
Teresa Kay Showalter

Pedigree Chart

                      |--------
                      |
           |---------Elihu Thomas SHOWALTER (1822, PA - 1903, Iowa)
           |          |
           |          |--------
           |
  |------John Gordon SHOWALTER (1865, Pennsylvania - 1944, Iowa)
  |        |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |          |
  |        |---------Alice Elizabeth GORDON (1827 - 1902)
  |                   |
  |                   |--------
  |
Albert Kenneth SHOWALTER (1908, Iowa - 1986, Virginia)
  |
  |                   |--------John FARRELL (Ireland - )
  |                   |
  |        |---------George FARRELL (1829, Ireland - 1882, Iowa)
  |        |          |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |
  |------Elizabeth FARRELL (1867, Iowa - 1951, Iowa)
           |
           |          |--------Patrick LAWLOR (1808, Ireland - 1889, Iowa)
           |          |
           |---------Catherine LAWLER (1845, Ireland - 1913, Iowa)
                      |
                      |--------Elizabeth REED (1822, Ireland - 1862, Iowa)
Albert lived in the Washington, D.C. area from 1930 to 1972. He began his career with the old U.S. Weather Bureau office, where he was an early television weatherman. During the 1960s he worked in Antarctica and participated in the ``water for peace'' program. He retired in 1972 as a senior physical scientist. Albert was a 1928 cum laude graduate of Loras College in his native Iowa. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a fellowship. He was a past president of the father's club at the Archbishop Carroll High School and served on an Advisory Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the American Meteorological Society and the Royal Meteorology Society. His government awards included a 1954 Commerce Department Exceptional Service Gold Medal. He had 9 grandchildren at this death.

Publications include:
Showalter, A.K., 1939: Further studies of American air-mass properties. Mon. Wea. Rev., 67, 204-218.

There is something in meteorology called the ``Showalter Stability Index.'' It is used as a predictor of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. I don't know for a fact that it is named for Albert, but I believe so. Albert was ``long considered an authority on tornadoes and severe-storm weather.''

More information: OBITUARY

Sources for this individual: @S433@ @S305@ @S434@

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