Dr. Ismail Celik, a renowned expert in the field of fluid mechanics and a retired Professor Emeritus at West Virginia University and Adjunct Professor at Shepherd University, has passed away at the age of 71 on March 9, 2023. He spent the majority of his life in Morgantown, WV before retiring and moving to Shepherdstown WV in 2017.

He will be remembered as a brilliant researcher, an inspiring mentor, humanitarian, and a devoted husband and father. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 49 years, Perihan Celik, and by his daughter Seyran Celik and his son in law, Sercan Akyildiz. Ismail is preceded in death by his parents and his older sister.

Ismail Celik was born in a remote, Anatolian farming village near the city Tokat, Turkey, to financially disadvantaged parents. He was the eldest son, and second oldest to a total of six siblings. After completing his primary education, he received a full scholarship from the American Peace Corps to study at the American Robert College of Istanbul. Upon graduating, he continued his studies at Robert College, now known as Bosphorus University, and earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in both Civil Engineering and in Mathematics.

He married the love of his life, Perihan Celik, whom he had met in 1970 in her hometown of Tokat, in August 1974. They returned to Istanbul together to complete his studies while Perihan worked as a case auditor at the federal telecommunication company.  Ismail completed his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering and graduated from the Bosphorus University in 1976.

In 1976 Ismail received a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Hydromechanics with the University of Iowa, where he received his Ph.D. in Mechanics and Hydraulics in 1980. Between 1980 and 1985, Dr. Celik worked as a Research Assistant Professor for the Institute of Hydromechanics at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. Seyran's birth in 1984 brought infinite happiness to both Ismail and Perihan, as their family was now complete.

Dr. Ismail Celik joined the faculty of West Virginia University in 1985. He was widely recognized for his expertise in computational fluid dynamics and numerical methods, and his contributions to the field of fluid mechanics were numerous and impactful. In 1994 and 1995, he received distinction as a Fulbright Scholar, and founded the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey.

Throughout his career, Dr. Celik published over 400 scientific research papers in top-tier, national and international journals and presented his work at numerous international conferences. He was particularly interested in turbulence modeling, combustion modeling, and multiphase flows, and his work in these areas was instrumental in advancing our understanding of fluid mechanics.

In addition to his research, Dr. Celik was a beloved mentor to his students and a dedicated advisor to his daughter. He inspired countless students to pursue careers in engineering and sciences and was best known for his kindness, generosity, and infectious enthusiasm.

Outside of academia, Dr. Celik was also a devoted humanitarian who dedicated his life to establishing a legacy of intellect, wisdom, and love for others and for nature. He actively volunteered with numerous organizations, including Friends of Shepherdstown Library (FOSL) and contributed to the moving and opening of the new Shepherdstown Public Library. He worked with Engineers without Borders to build and donate over 50 classroom benches to be used in outdoor classrooms across elementary and middle schools in Jefferson County.

In 2011 Dr. Celik and his wife founded Heart to Heart Anatolia (H2HA) a non-profit organization, which provides need-based graduate scholarships while promoting Anatolian cultural values. He always said it was now his turn to help others in the same way that others had helped him to come this far. Through his work with the organization, Dr. Celik touched the lives of countless people and made a lasting impact on the world and will continue to do so.

Dr. Celik's passing is a great loss to the scientific and intellectual community, his family, and the many people whose lives he touched through his humanitarian work. He will be deeply missed but his contributions to society at large will continue to inspire future generations.

In keeping with his wishes, cremation arrangements without inurnment memorial service have been entrusted to Eackles-Spencer & Norton Funeral Home of Harpers Ferry, WV. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Heart to Heart Anatolia (H2HA) in support of a scholarship endowment in his name. www.h2ha.org .