Savelas Rabb

Savelas Arlando Rabb was born on August 12, 1974 in Aiken, South Carolina to Casper Isaiah Rabb and
Sharon Serice Johnson Rabb. He departed this life on Thursday, September 1, 2022 in Rockville, MD.
At an early age, Savelas accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. His Christian experience came from
his family's affiliations with Zion Fair Missionary Baptist Church in Aiken, SC, Runs Missionary Baptist
Church in Beech Island, SC, and Union Branch in Williston, SC. He was a member of the Runs Missionary
Baptist church where he served as an usher before going to college. He later became a member of Kingdom
Fellowship A.M.E. Church in Calverton, MD.

Savelas was a graduate of Silver Bluff High School in Aiken, SC, and went on to attend Duke University in
Durham, NC, where he received his B.S. in Chemistry. After a summer internship at Colgate-Palmolive, he
went on to attend The Ohio State University, where he received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry.
He moved to Gaithersburg, MD and would eventually become a research chemist at the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) where he worked to certify values of chemical constituents in a variety
of reference materials. Savelas even had a patent for an invention. As noted in a write-up on NIST's website,
Savelas was "one of the incredible minds behind the redefinition of the kilogram and mole," where he worked
with an international team of scientists to redefine this unit of measure. His work led to recognition and
awards stateside and abroad, but he was never boastful, always humble, kind, and loving. Many would ask
how or what made him decide to go into that field. He said,

"Early on, maybe when I was in elementary school, an uncle gave me a chemistry set. I don't
know if that necessarily inspired me to go on to chemistry, but it was there in the back of my
mind. In high school, I talked to my mom and said that I liked both chemistry and history. And
thought I should go for chemistry. My grandmother always told me that I would have to
work hard for anything worth having. Her words continue to ring true today."

For a time, he also worked part-time at Strathmore, taught Sunday school at his church, and encouraged
students' love for Science by judging Science Fairs. He has also participated in student enrichment activities
sponsored by the Duke Alumni Association, as well as the Smithsonian.

In 2012, Savelas met his future wife, Danielle. They married in 2016, and had their first child, Julian, in 2018
and Micah in February 2022. Savelas was a wonderful husband and father. He read to his children and would
have long conversations with his eldest child. He tirelessly planned all of the family trips, and would make
sure everyone was up bright and early each morning to embark on whatever adventure he planned. Savelas
embodied the best characteristics of a doting husband, father, friend, and colleague. He would go out of his
way to help anyone in need. Simply stated, he was the best.

Savelas leaves to cherish his memory: a devoted wife, Danielle Rabb; loving sons, Julian and Micah Rabb;
brother-in-law, Brian (Taleya) Hurdle of Monrovia, MD; nephew, Noah, two nieces, Maya and Corinne;
sister-cousins, Stephanie Johnson of Augusta, GA, Brittney Johnson of Washington, D.C., and Ashley
(Steffon) Benson of Atlanta, GA; one great-aunt, Katie Dandridge of Augusta,GA; one great-uncle, Rev.
Casper I. Glenn of Harbor City, CA; four aunts, Margaret (Morris) Eldridge of Severn, MD, Mattie Williams
of Columbia, SC, Kathy Rabb of Jenkinsville, SC, and Michele Rabb of Jenkinsivlle, SC; four uncles, Nathan
Rabb, Jr. of Los Angeles, CA, James (Willie) Rabb of Walterboro, SC, Sylvester Rabb of Carson, CA, and
Leonard Bernard Johnson of New Ellenton, SC; one god-sister, Susan (Don) Matthews of Severn, MD, one
god-brother Jason Price of Aiken, SC; and a host of cousins and sorrowing friends.