A memorial celebration will be held Friday in Pebble Beach for Howard Lee Needles, professor emeritus of textiles at the University of California, Davis, who died July 30 while at Hospice House in Monterey. He was 67.

The memorial service will be at 3 p.m. at the Church in the Forest on Forest Lake Road. It will be held in the church's Robert Louis Stevenson School Chapel.

A native of San Bernardino, Calif., Professor Needles earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from UC Riverside in 1959 and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1963.

After serving six years as a research chemist in the wool and mohair laboratory at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Regional Research Laboratory in Albany, Calif., he joined the UC Davis faculty in 1969 as a professor of textile science. He held that position for 25 years, serving as chair of the Department of Textiles and Clothing and for many years as a master adviser for students majoring in textiles.

He taught both undergraduate and graduate courses, including an overview of textiles science; a class on dyeing, printing and finishing of textiles; and courses in materials science and chemical engineering.

"Howard was dedicated to providing general education courses on the role of polymers and plastics in society for students across the campus," said Susan Kaiser, chair of the Department of Textiles and Clothing. "He also had a strong commitment to advising, mentoring and outreach to industry, government and consumers. Today his former students and visiting scholars can be found around the world, carrying out research in industry and academia on the various properties of the fibers and polymers that compose modern textiles."

Professor Needles' research interests included changes in fibers, polymers, dyes and finishes that are caused chemically or physically during processing. He also studied dyeing and color properties of fibers and films, flammability characteristics of textiles and polymers, and product quality of textiles and polymers.

He authored 117 publications, including two books, and held 10 U.S. patents.

He was a member of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, the American Chemical Society, the Fiber Society, and the Society of Forensic Engineers and Scientists. In 1994 he was named a Fellow of the Cellulose, Paper and Textile Division of the American Chemical Society.

After retiring from the university in 1994, he continued to serve as a consultant and expert witness in the area of textiles and forensics. In 2003 he was awarded the prestigious Louis Atwell Olney Medal for outstanding achievement in the field of textile chemistry.

While living in Davis, Professor Needles and his wife, Deanna, attended University Covenant Church, where he served as an usher and greeter. After moving to Pebble Beach, he continued to serve the UC Davis textiles and clothing department as an emeritus professor, often returning to visit colleagues, counsel graduate students and assist where needed.

During retirement, the couple belonged to the Church in the Forest in Pebble Beach. They were also actively involved in the "Under-the-Tree Group," which gathered for outdoor concerts at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey and for other celebratory occasions.

They traveled broadly and served through the local Meals-on-Wheels program and as volunteer docents for the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and the Pebble Beach nature walk program.

Family members say that, as a husband, father, grandfather and friend, Professor Needles was cherished for his humor, generosity and devotion.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Ava Landee Daniels of Fair Oaks, Calif., and Becky Marigo of Davis, and three sons, Aaron Needles of Davis, Andy Needles of Atascadero, Calif., and Dan Needles of Folsom, Calif. He also leaves his brother Norman Needles of Colton, Calif., and six grandchildren.

At the request of Professor Needles, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of Central Coast, 100 Barnet Segal Lane, Monterey, CA 93940.