R. Conway (Connie) LeCraw of Hilton Head Island died Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at his residence. He was born in Atlanta on January 10, 1924 to Julia Adams and Roy LeCraw, a former Atlanta mayor. He became an eagle scout at age 11, one of the youngest ever to do so, and was an active member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology and Ohio State University, where he studied electrical engineering and physics. During World War II he served in the Pacific theater as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps. He began his career as a physicist with Diamond Ordnance Fuze Laboratories in Washington, D.C. in 1951. Four years later he received the Department of the Army Gold Medal Award for Exceptional Civilian Service which was awarded for his outstanding work in microwave energy. From 1955 until his retirement in 1986 he was a renowned physicist at Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J. where he authored or co-authored over 100 research papers and was granted 35 U.S. patents. His most significant discovery, that of magnetic bubble devices, revolutionized the storage of information for military technology. He was invited to present his papers at national and international physics conferences, including in Russia, China, and Japan. The year Bell Laboratories established its Distinguished Scientist Awards, he was one of five research scientists to be so honored. As a result of his seminal discoveries, he was offered various teaching posts, including one at UC Berkeley, but he declined in order to continue his research.
After his retirement Mr. LeCraw concentrated on his two avocations, classical music and chess. In New Jersey, he formed a classical guitar society and arranged for free public concerts at a local library. He participated in chess tournaments throughout the East, winning numerous trophies. He moved to Hilton Head Island with his wife, Mildred, in 1990. There he formed a local chess club and sponsored a regional chess tournament. He also helped form a chess club at Hilton Head High School.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Carolan LeCraw, his sons Timothy of Atlanta and Spencer of Bluffton, S.C., and his brothers Veazey, Julian, and Rupert, all of Atlanta. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Luddeke, and his brother, C. Buck LeCraw.
A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew By-The-Sea Methodist Church, 20 Pope Avenue, Hilton Head at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, with a reception to follow at the church.
