“It is with a heavy heart that we heard the news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Sam Maroney. Our thoughts are with his family during this time of transition.
 
The Department of Biology would like to recognize and celebrate Sam’s extraordinary service to the University. His service to the University spanned more than 40 years.  During this span, he held several important leadership positions such as Associate Dean of the College and Associate Chair of the Department. Sam’s stint as Associate Chair was especially pivotal in the history of the Department as he contributed in a major way (along with then-Chair Dietrich Bodenstein) to the modernization of the Department into an era of molecular biology.
 
As colleagues, we will remember Sam’s gentle personality coupled with high standards for his students – there is the rumor that he was referred to as the ‘velvet screw’ because he managed to deliver his high expectations with grace. Those were the days when these worked together, and he was widely appreciated and loved by his students. Sometimes Sam’s gentle demeanor belied his critical insights, and Biology colleagues have remembrances of Sam pressing them on details of science with a wry smile.
 
The Biology Department would like to share with Sam’s family our respect for his legacy and our sadness at his passing.
 
Yours with sorrow,
 
Douglas (Doug) Taylor
Commonwealth Professor and Chair of Biology
Department of Biology, University of Virginia”