Obituary of Maurice Amadée Bergougnou

Bergougnou, Dr. Maurice Peacefully at St. Mary's Nursing Home on Monday, November 30, 2015 Dr. Maurice Bergougnou, Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at the University of Western Ontario at the age of 87. Loving husband of Diana (nee Elwell) Bergougnou of almost 60 years. Beloved father of Frank Maurice Bergougnou (Annette) and Anne-Marie Hélène (Eric) Bundgard. Doting grandfather of Elena, Marissa, Rowan and Miranda. Dear brother of Lucien (predeceased) and Christian. Maurice was much admired and beloved by his family in France. Maurice was born a poor farm boy in France. As a young boy, he was selected by the Jesuits to study at the Lycée Saint Joseph de Tivoli in Bordeaux in occupied France during WWII. After the war, he received a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Upon graduation, Maurice was instrumental in the development of fluidized beds and the catalytic cracking process in petroleum refining. In 1967, he accepted a professorship at the University of Western Ontario and moved to Canada. At Western, he was a pioneer in biofuel technology. In the late 1970's, he developed ultrapyrolysis, a process which uses a jet impact reactor to convert organic materials into biofuels. Professor Bergougnou is fondly remembered by generations of engineering students for his inspirational teaching and the care and concern which he showed them. The excellence of Dr. Bergougnou's teaching and research has been recognized by many awards throughout his career. In 1994, he became a Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Palmes Académiques in France and, in 1999, he was awarded the Killam Prize for Engineering for his "exceptional achievements in engineering research and world class contributions to the advancement of knowledge." Maurice will be most fondly remembered, however, by everyone as a loving husband, father and grandfather and as a caring mentor and friend. Visitors will be received at Holy Family Parish, 777 Valetta Street, on Saturday, December 5th from 9 o'clock until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10 o'clock. Interment in St. Peter's Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to Holy Family Parish Refugee Fund or the World Wildlife Fund would be appreciated. (John T. Donohue Funeral Home)