General Information

Full Name: Melvin Leonard Druin
Date of Death: Monday, April 7, 2025

DRUIN- Melvin Leonard. Born in Paterson, NJ; most recently residing in Avon, OH, Died Monday, April 7, 2025.

Beloved husband of Marilyn Druin. Devoted father of Dr. Allison Druin and her husband Dr. Ben Bederson, Erica Druin and her husband Roger Revells, and Lauren Druin Griffin and her husband Tom. Cherished grandfather (Poppy) of Dana and Atlas Druin Bederson, Chloe and Phoebe Griffin, and Mattix Revells. Adored sister of Carole (Druin) Unger, Arlene (Druin) Mazzuca, and Karen Magenta.

With a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Dr. Druin was a research scientist who developed new plastics that have gone to the moon in space suits and are a key component in blood oxygenation devices used in open heart surgery and the controlled drug delivery in medication patches. He also invented plastics that revolutionized food and beverage packaging including the plastic tray allowing frozen dinners to be microwaved, and recyclable plastic bottles for carbonated beverages.

He held patents, published papers, and spent endless hours in labs changing what was possible with plastics. In addition, Dr. Druin was on the Board of Trustees of NJIT, served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Plastics Institute of America, was inducted into the NJ Inventors Hall of Fame, was an early board president of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), and was a board member of the Lupus Foundation as well as the Northeast Enamel Guild.

Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Monday at Louis Suburban Chapel, 13-01 Broadway (Rt 4 West) Fair Lawn, N.J.

Memorial donations in memory of Melvin L. Druin may be made to the J.S. Bryant School (www.jsbryantschool.org) at:
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/BWEtoZz46zqA1gKLm9rfQg