72 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Sophie Louise Plechner EULOGY BY ROBERT A. KRAMER* My fellow members and friends of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists: This evening we are recognizing an unusual woman for her contribu- tions to the art and science of cosmetics. That grand lady is none other than our charming colleague, Dr. Sophie Louise Plechner. We do honor to Dr. Plechner for the more than three decades she has spent in fostering the growth of cosmetic science. Like Jack Benny, our honored guest is an ageless 39. She was born Sophie Louise Coppersmith and has spent her entire life in New Jersey. At the age of 20, she graduated with honors from the New Jersey College for Women at Rutgers University on a Newark High School Alumni Scholarship. Sophie majored in mathematics but turned to chemistry when she decided to improve her marks in that subject, with the result that she became both a good mathematician and an excellent chemist. Then came three years of teaching chemistry, algebra, and geometry in New Jersey high schools, following which she earned her Master's Degree in 1927 and Doctorate in 1929 at Columbia University. Her college ties with Rutgers have always remained strong. She was a director of her College Alumnae from 1939 through 1947 its treasurer from 1947 to 1953 and vice president from 1953 to 1958. Her contri- butions through her alumni work brought her an Award for Alumnae Service from Douglass College in 1948. The year 1929 was an historic one for Sophie. After receiving her doctor's degree from Columbia University, she joined Bristol-Myers as a cosmetic research chemist, then culminated this glorious year of 1929 by marrying Walter W. Plechner on that memorable October 26th, the day of the stock market crash. Still keeping in step with renowned events, her son, Richard, was born when Roosevelt was first elected in November of 1932. He and his loving wife, Eleanor, are with us this evening, and it is they who have made Sophie a grandmother three times over during the past ten years. The only time we delve into the personal background of a member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists is on occasions such as this banquet * Evans Chemetics, Inc., New York, N.Y. 10017

SEVENTEENTH MEDAL AWARD 73 Dr. Sophie L. Plechner (1.) after receiving the Society's Medal from Dr. Paul Jewel (r.), President of the Society when we honor one of our colleagues. It is not likely that many of you know that Sophie's husband, Walter, was also a Ph.D. a chemical engineer an Assistant Research Director of the National Lead Com- pany and a Colonel in the U. S. Army, First Division, Headquarters Staff, during World War II. Colonel Plechner was killed in action in North Africa in March, 1•43. Following this tragedy in her life, Sophie returned to our industry in 1•43 by joining Carter Products, Inc., now called Carter-Wallace, Inc., where she is now an Associate Director of Research. Sophie was selected for the Medal Award of our Society because of her long record of achievement and publications covering a broad spec- trum of cosmetic and related sciences. After her thesis at Columbia University on "Properties of the Amylase of Aspergillus Oryzae or Taka