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Dr. Ronald George Menzel passed away July 13, 2017, at the age of 93, and was born in Independence, Iowa, January 23, 1924. On February 23, 1952, he married Elsie Gray Burke in Kernersville, NC. He received his B.S. Degree in Agronomy from Iowa State University in 1947 and his PhD in Soil Science from University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1950. Upon graduation, he worked as a Research Soil Scientist for U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD, where he studied the behavior of radioactive fallout in soils and its uptake by plants, and developed methods for reclaiming contaminated soil. He moved to Durant in August 1969 to set up the USDA Water Quality Management Laboratory and served as Director for 12 years. After establishing a research program to control nutrient enrichment of water supplies by agriculture, he retired with 40 years' service in 1991.
Dr. Menzel was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science. He served as editor of the Journal of Environmental Science. Throughout his career, he traveled to Switzerland and the Netherlands for a presentation to the International Soils Science Congress, and to Romania, China and Korea for research projects.
Dr. Menzel was a member of First United Methodist Church of Durant where he served on many Boards and Commissions, and was on the Board of Directors for the Wesley Foundation. He was a 48 year Life Member of Durant Kiwanis Club, and served as Lt. Governor of Division 8 in 1991-1992. He and Elsie attended many of the District and International Kiwanis conventions. He spent countless hours volunteering for Kiwanis, his church, Fort Washita and Meals on Wheels. In 1991, he was awarded the honor of Kiwanian of the Year and was Fort Washita Volunteer of the Year in 2004.
Dr. Menzel was a member of NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) and served as President in 1995 – 1997. He was an avid bridge player and loved playing other card games, board games and chess. He enjoyed bowling, stamp collecting, crossword puzzles, and mostly spending time and traveling with his family.
Dr. Menzel is survived by his beloved wife, Elsie of the home; daughter, Martha Thomas and husband Jim of Grapevine, Texas; son, Robert Menzel of Plano, Texas; grandchildren, Richard Thomas and wife Holly of Madison, Wisconsin, and Wesley Thomas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; brother, J. Edgar Menzel of Fullerton, CA, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Amy Bonnie (Dillard) Menzel; sister, Betty Jean; brother, John Menzel; and granddaughter, Christine Thomas.
Family hour will be from 7-8:00 PM Tuesday July 18th at the Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home in Durant, Oklahoma. A church service will be at 11:00 AM Wednesday July 19th at the 1st United Methodist Church with John Breon, Ross Kirven, and Tim Ford officiating. The pallbearers will be Robert Menzel, Edgar Menzel, Richard Thomas, Wesley Thomas, Ryan Richardson, Charles Schiebe, Darrell Mendez, and Gordon Eggleton, honorary pallbearers will be the Kiwanis Club. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 5400 W. Main Street, PO Box 518, Durant, OK 74701.
Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.holmescoffeymurray.com.
Services are under the direction of Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home, Durant, Oklahoma.
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