A lover of fine wines and enthusiastic fresh- and saltwater fisherman, Carl Marvel took his pleasures seriously, but none of them more than birding. Until his health failed him, Marvel was a dedicated birdwatcher and this hobby runs like a thread throughout his life, manifesting itself in letters, photographs, and gifts sent him by his former students.

During World War II, Marvel worked for the National Defense Research Committee to create synthetic rubber, and the efforts of the group that he spearheaded were crowned by success within one year’s time. (Perhaps Marvel had so much fun as a chemist because he was so good at what he did.) In the latter portion of his career, Marvel became interested in the problem of creating high-temperature stable polymers and his investigations carried out under the sponsorship of the USDA, the U. S. Army, and, finally, the U. S. Air Force bore fruit with the synthesis of polybenzimidazole that was found to have significant applications to national defense as well as to everyday living. Polybenzimidazole is as useful to the fabrication of spacesuits as it is to the manufacture of oven mitts. In 1986, Carl Marvel’s many years of faithful and productive service to his profession and to his country were rewarded when President Ronald Reagan presented the National Medal of Science to him in the East Room of the White House. Marvel passed away in 1988.