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Ronald L. Magolda | Wyeth executive, 54

Ronald L. Magolda, 54, of Wallingford, a pharmaceutical company vice president, died Sunday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania of injuries from a fall that day while he and his wife rode bicycles on the Swarthmore College campus.

Dr. Magolda graduated from Vineland (N.J.) High School and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Villanova University, where he met his future wife, Diane Schneider.

After earning a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981, he joined the DuPont Co.'s pharmaceutical division in Wilmington. He was with DuPont for 18 years and was director of anti-inflammatory disease research when he joined Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Danbury, Conn., in 1999.

Since 2003, Dr. Magolda had been vice president of medicinal chemistry at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in Collegeville. He wrote numerous scientific papers and was responsible for more than 50 patents.

In 1988, he received the Villanova University College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Medallion for achievement in his field.

Dr. Magolda was a fan of Villanova basketball and the Phillies and had Flyers season tickets.

He was devoted to his six nieces and nephews, his family said, and loved being involved in their school and sports activities.

In addition to his wife of 19 years and nieces and nephews, Dr. Magolda is survived by a sister, Lucille, and a brother, Nicholas.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. today at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church, 30 E. Franklin St., Media, where friends may call after 10. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken.