Jay Savige Hanas

Jay Savige Hanas passed away July 4, 2021, in Oklahoma City. He was born in Dunkirk, NY on July 8, 1948, and grew up in Corning, NY. He always enjoyed learning and playing sports. He played lacrosse at East High School was awarded an academic scholarship from Johns Hopkins University where he played varsity lacrosse and received a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Science in 1971. In 1975, he received a Master of Science in Zoology from the University of South Florida and earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1981. Jay moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, in 1985 as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma. He later became a full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He belonged to several professional organizations including the NY Academy of Sciences and the Southwest Program for Pancreatic Cancer.Jay had a love for science and research. He had over 400 papers published in professional journals as well as giving many presentations of his research at scientific meetings across the country and the world.Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvester and Anna Hanas. He is survived by his wife, Jane; daughter, Kara; and beloved granddaughter, Isabella. Jay is also survived by two sisters, Carole Neal and Andrea Lehr, and nephew, Michael Neal.Jay enjoyed playing golf and arguing politics.