Roy Orvis grew up in western Canada, but spent his entire career with the Kodak Research Labs. He was born in Calgary, but attended schools in Mirror, Alberta. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Honors Chemistry from the University of Alberta in Edmonton and continued there to get an M.Sc, under Prof. R. B. Sandin. He came to graduate school in the US, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he received a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry under the direction of Prof. E. E. VanTamelen.
Roy joined Eastman Kodak in 1964 in the Color Organic Chemistry Lab in the Color Photography Division directed by Ilmari Salminen. After 14 years doing synthesis of color photographic couplers, colored (masking) couplers, and nucleating agents there, he became a Staff Assistant in the division, a position he held until he retired in 1991 in the big Kodak buyout.
In retirement Roy manages an antique car collection that includes the first car that he owned, a 1953 Chevrolet, which he has restored. He is also interested in genealogy and has traveled widely with his wife Marina. They live in Greece and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Roy and Marina have a son and daughter; the daughter, Carey and son-in-law Paul have two teen-age children, Roy and Marina’s two grandchildren. Carey works for a financial consulting firm and Paul is a banker here in the Rochester area. The son Mark lives in Rhode Island and is employed in the packaging field.
