Lee J. Olech

Lee J. Olech, 67, of Syracuse, passed away Thursday, October 27, 2016 at home after a long illness. He was born on May 21, 1949 in Syracuse to the late Charlotte Collins and Stanley Olech and was the oldest of seven children. A 1967 graduate of West Genesee High School and 1981 graduate of Syracuse University, Lee majored in chemistry, specializing in the synthesis of platinum complexes of N,S heterocyclic compounds. He was an initiator of the group 1012 on Irving Ave. in the 1960s and also played bass guitar with the Ronelles and Dove.

A brilliant and eccentric chemist, Lee started his research career with Bristol-Myers Squibb, working in research and development of targeted antitumor chemotherapy compounds and the investigation of cancer markers. In 1985, Lee moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and worked as principal scientist with Bio-Rad Laboratories in Hercules, CA researching and developing immunologic detection methods, protein staining and electrophoresis slab gels. Lee currently holds over 25 granted and pending patents for scientific invention, the most recent being published on June 30, 2016. Lee was an active member of the American Chemical Society and an avid photographer and gardener.

Lee was predeceased by his sisters, Sarah and Margaret; and brother, Peter.

Surviving are his children, James (Jessica) Olech and Catherine (Ian) Rennie; stepmother, Sally Olech; siblings, Mark, Cynthia, Diane, Amie and Andrew; former wife, Mimi Hancock-Olech; grandchildren, Elliott and Aaron Olech and Franklin and Amelia Rennie; aunts and uncle, Adelina Romano, Jim and Janet Titus, Madge Olech and Mary Patricia; and many cousins.

There will be a gathering of friends and family to celebrate Lee's life on Saturday, November 5, 2016 in Camillus.

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