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Dr. Richard A. Nyquist

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Oklahoma State University

Richard Nyquist Obituary

Dr. Richard Allen Nyquist, 82, of Midland, died Tuesday morning, Jan. 4, 2011, at MidMichigan Medical Center. He was born May 3, 1928, in Rockford, Ill., the son of the late Harry William and Anna Svea (Nelson) Nyquist. On Jan. 28, 1956, he married Irene Cote in Midland.

Nyquist received his bachelor of arts in chemistry from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., his master of science from Oklahoma State University, and his Ph.D. from Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Dr. Nyquist is the author or coauthor of more than 160 scientific articles including books, book chapters and patents. He worked at The Dow Chemical Co. for over 41 years and achieved the final rank of Research Scientist.

In 1985, Richard A. Nyquist received the Williams-Wright Award from the Coblentz Society for his contributions to industrial IR spectroscopy. He was subsequently named an honorary member of the Coblentz Society for his contributions to vibrational spectroscopy, and in 1989, he was a national speaker for the Society of Applied Spectroscopy. The Association of Analytical Chemists honored Dr. Nyquist with the ANACHEM Award in 1993 for his contributions to analytical chemistry. He is listed in Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World. The Dow Chemical Co., from which Dr. Nyquist retired in 1994, honored him with the V.A. Stenger Award in 1981, and the Walter Graf European Award in 1994 for excellence in analytical chemistry. He has also been a member of ASTM, and received the ASTM Award of Appreciation for his contributions to the Practice of Qualitative Infrared Analysis. In 2000, Dr. Nyquist was awarded honorary membership in the Society of Applied Spectroscopy for his exceptional contributions to spectroscopy and to the society.

In 1995, The Dow Chemical Co. established the Nyquist Analytical Award for candidate's long-term contributions to analytical technology. After retirement from Dow, Dr. Nyquist served as consultant in vibrational spectroscopy at Michigan Molecular Institute, Midland.

Dr. Nyquist is survived by his wife, Irene of Midland; sons, Richard Harry Nyquist of Boulder, Colo., and Robert Allen Nyquist and his wife Lisa of Dayton, Ohio; daughters, Jean Susan Nyquist and her husband James Hansen of Denver, Colo., and Kathryn Ann Nyquist of Thornton, Colo.; brother, Roger Thomas Nyquist of Sacramento, Calif.; and two grandchildren, Benjamin Allen Nyquist, and Hannah Dee Nyquist.

Memorial services will take place at 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, at the Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Chapel, 1200 W. Wheeler St., The Rev. Gerald Ferguson of Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. The family will greet guests on Friday from 10 a.m. until time of services. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider the donor's favorite charity. waresmithwoolever.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Midland Daily News from Jan. 6 to Jan. 7, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Richard Nyquist

10 Entries

Kay Nyquist

February 3, 2011

We will miss you...Husband/Dad/Grandpa.

Love, Irene, Rich, Jean and Jim, Kay, Rob and Lisa and grandchildren Ben and Hannah.

Kent Olson

January 12, 2011

My dad just sent me the obit. I am so sorry to hear about your dad/ husband passing. I remember being a kid and how I used to spend time at the house with your family. He was a good man! My prayers are with you all.
Kent Olson (Ann Arbor, MI)

Maxine Riffil

January 10, 2011

Irene - I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

January 10, 2011

My condolences to your family. I always enjoyed talking to Dickie when visiting my brother Larry accross the street. Sitting in the Drive and having a cold one or two with a very warm indivdual.
Donald Giebelhaus

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January 7, 2011

I am sending my condolences to Kay and your family. Sorry for hear of your loss and my thoughts and prayers are with you all!

Lisa Campbell

Jim Malek

January 7, 2011

My condolences - your neighbor.

January 6, 2011

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nyquist family.

-Rich's friends and co-workers at Ball Aerospace

Dayla Quest

January 6, 2011

Your memory lives on through your daughter Kay, my good friend in Colorado.

January 6, 2011

Nyquist Family:
I remember the many contributions Dick made to our Dow Analytical community. His world-wide expertise enables him to make many unique contributions to Dow and the analytical sciences. I am sure he will be missed by all of you as well as the Dow Chemical Company.

Rudy Stehl
Osprey FL

Kim LaFreniere

January 6, 2011

Irene and Family,
My thoughts are certainly with you at this difficult time--Dick will be very much missed. What a brilliant mind! Dick looked at infrared spectra like we look at pictures and saw the beauty. Molecular structure jumped off the page; the puzzle decoded in a matter of minutes! My fondest memories are of him in my office telling his anecdotal stories and exploits from his career at Dow (the boot game comes to mind) and "grumbling" about politics, the stock market, or the future of Impact Analytical! The day he walked up to Frank Popoff during an open house at MMI and asked him "what are you going to do about the (Dow) stock price?" was hilarious!

I am certainly a better person for knowing Dick!

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