



Civil engineer Theodore Van Zelst epitomized the outside-the-box thinker, whose genius lay in his ability to break down complex problems with practical, expedient solutions.

While in the Navy, he helped create the swing wing jet design that contributed to the breaking of the sound barrier, his family said. As a young engineer, he popularized the concept of soil testing before the construction of road, sewers and pipelines.

Years later, the longtime Glenview resident helped create the contemporary definition of chronic fatigue syndrome and sought congressional funding for research after his adult daughter was stricken.

Mr. Van Zelst, 86, died Monday, July 6, in Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter in Skokie after a brief battle with cancer, according to his family.

Mr. Van Zelst's work in soil testing was considered cutting edge, and he once ran the largest provider of materials testing equipment.

With his Northwestern University graduate school classmate John Gnaedinger, Mr. Van Zelst co-founded Soiltest Inc. in his family's Evanston garage in 1948.

The engineers applied academic theories on soil analysis to develop techniques and equipment in testing the quality and bearing strength of soil, rock, concrete and asphalt.

The company took field and laboratory data on specific kinds of soil and prepared reports for architects, engineers, contractors and other construction staff, according to a Tribune story in 1951.

While now common before major construction projects, soil testing was little known at the time.

"Not only did they develop the [tools] and the techniques, they developed a whole industry, said Mr. Van Zelst's son, David. "The idea was just beginning in universities, but they created instrumentation and equipment for it."The company grew quickly, moving to a 7,000-square foot facility at 4520 W. North Ave. and adding an agricultural division, which worked with farmers.

After Gnaedinger left the company, Mr. Van Zelst emerged as the president, a title he kept after selling the company in 1959 to Cenco Instruments. He remained with Cenco until his retirement..

As a naval officer at the end of World War II, Mr. Van Zelst teamed with a military mechanical engineer to create the swing wing design that allowed a fighter jet to break the sound barrier, his family said.

Mr. Van Zelst "knew nothing of aerodynamics, he had never even gotten on a plane," said his wife of 57 years, Louann. "He didn't know anything about it, so he didn't know it couldn't be done."

His work over the years earned him Chicago engineer of the year honors by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1988.

But Mr. Van Zelst's most personal work came in the late 1980s, when one of his daughters was stricken with chronic fatigue syndrome, then a mystery illness.

He and his wife pushed for official recognition of the disease, and Mr. Van Zelst was the first person to testify before Congress requesting research money.

He became known as the "father of chronic fatigue syndrome advocacy" for his work.

"He spent many hours of work in Washington and at home. He was the guy who really did the legwork to get people to understand what that disease was," his wife said.

Survivors also include two daughters, Anne Orvieto and Jean Bierner; two sisters, Vi Orr and Marion Boning; and seven grandchildren.

Services have been held.


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