SCHENECTADY— 

John F. Schenck, M.D., Ph.D., a physicist, research scientist and physician, whose work on high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revolutionized modern medicine, passed away on Feb. 8, 2026. He died at home in Voorheesville, NY, after a long illness. He was the central figure in the development of the first clinically viable 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner for General Electric, a technology that swiftly became the global standard for MRI. .

He was born in 1939 in Decatur, IN to John Charles Schenck and Mildred Butler Blosser Schenck. He was raised primarily on the family’s dairy farm in Mexico, New York. The eldest of 12 Schenck children, he was the valedictorian of his class at Mexico Academy and Central School in 1957. He won the “Rensselaer Medal” as the top science student at MACS as well as a National Merit Scholarship. These made it possible for him to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. At RPI he earned his B.S.degree in 1961 and his Ph.D. in solid state physics in 1966.

Dr. Schenck had an unstoppable work ethic and a deep curiosity for science. His depth of knowledge and practical application led him to a remarkable dual career; he earned his Medical Doctor degree from Albany Medical College in 1978, while working at General Electric. He also worked part-time serving as an emergency room physician at Ellis Hospital in the 1980’s.

Dr. Schenck began his long and distinguished career at General Electric in 1965. By 1978, he became the first full-time GE researcher dedicated to MRI technologies. His most noted contribution came as the principal leader of the team that built a whole-body scanner operating at 1.5 Tesla magnetic field. In 1982, his team produced the first prototype, and Dr. Schenck volunteered to be the subject of the first high-field magnetic resonance brain scan at the GE Research and Development Campus in Niskayuna. The resulting 1.5T platform, along with his inventions in radiofrequency and gradient coils, established the architectural blueprint for virtually all modern clinical MRI systems.

Beyond his technological advancements, Dr. Schenck was recognized as a leading authority on MRI safety. His published works guided the industry in the responsible management and regulation of MRI scanners, ensuring the technology's safe expansion into healthcare. In his later career, he focused extensively on using MRI to study subtle magnetic properties in brain tissue, providing critical insights into neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

For his contributions to his field, he was recognized with the highest honors in his field, including the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's (ISMRM) Gold Medal in 2009 and the Coolidge Fellowship, GE Global Research's most prestigious technical award. In 2015, he was admitted to the RPI Hall of Fame. His work was also featured by Ron Howard in the documentary “Breakthrough.”

He is survived by his wife, Susan Kalia, of Voorheesville, NY. He is also survived by his three children with his former wife, Jane Stanley, of Bradenton, FL, Brooke Thomas of Voorheesville, Kim Velk (Thomas) of Stowe, VT, and David Schenck (Natasha) of Dallas, TX, and his step daughter Tania Chandler (Christian) of Arlington, VA and her children Declan and Seamus. He had seven grandchildren all of whom survive him: Katie Thomas of Voorheesville, Elizabeth Owen of Seattle, Julia Thomas of Tampa. FL, Sarah Velk of Brooklyn, NY, Paul Velk of Carlisle, PA, John Schenck of Dallas and Margaret Schenck of Dallas. He was predeceased by his sisters Caroline Piccolino, Mary Ann Merrill, and his brother David Schenck. He is survived by his sisters Cindy Scott, of Sugarland, TX, Mildred Kathleen Briggs (Donald) of San Anselmo CA, Sharon Lee of Mexico, NY, Margaret Broadley (Mark) of Downingtown, PA, and Judy Perry (Clive) of Lancaster, PA and his brothers, Daniel Schenck of Dothan, Alabama, Stewart Schenck (Kim) of Wilmington, DE, and Thomas Schenck (Becky) of Mexico, NY.

Dr. Schenck was a valued colleague over his decades at GE, and a contributor to a better quality of life for the millions of patients worldwide who benefit daily from his work.

The family plans a private memorial service in the summer at the family farm in Mexico, NY where he was raised. The family encourages those wishing to honor his legacy to forego flowers and to make a donation Rensselaer Polytechnic for a scholarship in his name at Gift Processing Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, PO Box 3164, Boston, MA 02241-3164 or online at the following link at: giving.rpi.edu/schenck-memorial-scholarship-fund.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family, online at: SimpleChoicesCremation.com