Carl BIMEL

1919 - 2013

BIMEL

Carl Bimel, a Cincinnati-based businessman for more than 60 years, has died at the age of 93. His first great love was his wife of 62 years, Alice Lucinda Booe Bimel, formerly of Asheville, N.C., who died in 2008. His other great loves were their daughters, Natalie and Carlyn, who preceded him in death; fine art; travel with Alice (often to faraway places); his business and the free enterprise system that nourished it and Purdue University football. He attended his first Purdue game at age 9. He was born in Portland, Indiana on October 21, 1919. He was a graduate of Culver Military Academy in Culver, IN and studied at Purdue for 2 ½ years before being drafted for Army duty in World War II. He served for 3 ½ years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and was assigned to duty in Asheville, where he met his bride-to-be. They married June 8, 1946. After his discharge from the Army, he first worked for family businesses. In the early 1950's, he and a Purdue friend, Jack Anning, purchased the exclusive sales rights for a natural-aggregate concrete-floor finishing hardener, Maximent. Carl Bimel's energy, natural sales ability and this outstanding product led to a long and productive career. He sold Maximent to large general contractors who built warehouses and manufacturing plants. His work was focused first in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. He became a consultant with Baker Concrete Construction, Monroe, Ohio (now considered the largest concrete contractor in the U.S.). In that role, he worked on major industrial jobs involving plants for auto makers and others throughout the U.S. and wrote widely used standards for concrete floors. In 2006, he received an honorary membership from the American Concrete Institute, its highest recognition for a member. In 2002 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Cincinnati Spirit of Construction Foundation. He was a longtime Purdue booster and season-ticket holder. With the exception of his years of Army service, he saw Purdue play every year. His involvement with the arts came about indirectly from his love for Purdue football. For a number of years he attended Friday night high-school football games in the Cincinnati area, hoping to help identify potential recruits for Purdue's team. His wife accompanied him. In return he supported and became involved with her arts-related activities which focused on the Cincinnati Art Museum. They traveled together to Iran, Jordan, India, Turkey, the Sinai Peninsula and Pakistan. In Pakistan's Indus River Valley, they were the only non-Pakistanis at a regional polo match and Carl was given the honor of throwing out the ball to begin the game. "Traveling is broadening, in more than one way," he liked to say. As a result of his travels, he began to closely follow events in the Middle and Far East and became deeply concerned about their potential negative effect on democratic freedoms and the free-enterprise system. He urged family and friends to increase their knowledge and heighten their awareness of international events. His survivors include a cousin, David Bimel of Marquette, Michigan, his sister-in-law and nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church, The Cincinnati Art Museum or the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. A private burial will be held. Memorial service will be held Sat., August 31 at 10:00 am at the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church

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