Dr. Harold Zallen

A memorial service for Dr. Harold Zallen of Auburn will be held on Sunday, March 12^th at 3 PM at the Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home in Opelika.  A visitation will be held prior to the service, beginning at 2 PM.

Harold Zallen was born April 7, 1926, in Chelsea, Massachusetts to Joseph Zallen and Lillian Lena Stahl Zallen.  He graduated from the Dorchester High School for Boys in 1943 and, at 17 years of age, he enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol flying from Cape Cod, MA, as a navigator, radioman, observer, and co-pilot of an Aeronca Chief looking for German Navy submarines. At 18, he enlisted in the US Army Air Force, serving as bombardier for the 8th Air Force 487th Bomb Group in the European Theater from 1944 to 1946.  He also served in the US Army Reserve, retiring as a Colonel in 1986.

Dr. Zallen received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Northeastern University in 1951, a Master of Education in Science and Mathematics from Boston University in 1954, a Master of Science in Organic Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry from Purdue University in 1959, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Analytical Medicinal Chemistry and Nucleonics from Purdue University in 1960.

Dr. Zallen served on the faculties of Mercer University, Auburn University, and Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.  He held administrative positions including the Associate Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Administrative Officer for the Health Sciences Center Campus at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Associate Vice President at the University of Oklahoma, Norman; and Assistant Dean and Director of Research and Graduate Studies at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.  He also held appointments at the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Science, and the National Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Zallen received numerous honors and awards during his career including the Outstanding Alumni Award from Northeastern University, Certificate of Merit and Key to the City from the Mayor of New Orleans, and the Service Above Self Award from Rotary International.  He was a member of honor societies including Phi Lambda Upsilon (Chemistry-Chemical Engineering); Society of Sigma Xi  (Science-Research); Beta Phi (Pharmacy); Rho Chi (Pharmacy); American Chemical Society (Research Professor, 2007); and Phi Delta Kappa (Education).  With his wife, Dr. Eugenia Malone Zallen, he authored Ideas Plus Dollars: Research Methodology and Funding, first published in 1975.

Dr. Zallen was an active Rotarian in Auburn, AL; Columbus, GA; Stillwater, OK; and Greenville, NC.  In his 80’s Dr. Zallen held an appointment as a distinguished visiting research professor in Auburn University’s College of Engineering. He was also a member of the Auburn University College of Science and Mathematics Leadership Council.

Dr. Zallen was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Dr. Eugenia Malone Zallen, and by his siblings Ada Zallen and Maurice Zallen.  He is survived by two nieces, Phyllis Malone Mayfield of Woodstock, Georgia and Katherine Malone-France of Washington, DC, and by his sister-in-law, Sylvia Malone of Auburn.