Malibu resident and HRL Laboratories scientist Irnee D’Haenens died Dec. 24. He was 73.
D’Haenens was born Feb. 3, 1934 in Mishawaka, Ind. He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. for two years before transferring to Notre Dame, where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1956.
The year before his graduation, he married Shirley Vanderbosch. They went on to have four children (Gregory, Michelle, Therese and Mark), 19 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
While working at HRL, D’Haenens was working on obtaining his master’s degree at USC. In 1963, he was awarded the Hughes Staff Doctoral Fellowship to complete his graduate studies for a doctorate in physics at Notre Dame. D’Haenens was inducted into Sigma XI, a scientific honorary society, and received his doctorate at Notre Dame in 1966.
D’Haenens served as an adjunct professor of physics and math at California Lutheran University and Pepperdine University.
D’Haenens worked in research at HRL for 33 years. During his tenure, he had more than 40 technical publications and seven patents to his credit. His most impressive feat was, however, research that led to a demonstration of the world’s first laser.
After retirement in 1989, D’Haenens began to enjoy his hobbies of fishing, reading, working crossword puzzles, traveling and watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren succeed.
The family requests in lieu of flowers a contribution toward pancreatic cancer research at Hirshberg Foundation, 2990 South Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 300C, Los Angeles, CA 90064.
A Memorial Mass will take place at Our Lady of Malibu Church, 3625 Winter Canyon Road, on Saturday at 11 a.m.