Herbert Jacob Bickel Jr.

HERBERT JACOB BICKEL, JR. of Frisco, Texas passed away at his home surrounded by his family on December 2, 2005. He was born in Evanston, Illinois, on February 20, 1930 to Herbert and Jean Meadows Bickel. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joan Hough Bickel, and his three sons, David, Daniel and John. Herb attended grade school in the Chicago area and moved to Florida during High School. He graduated from Fort Myers High School in 1948 where he played varsity sports lettering in Track. He earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of Florida in 1952. From 1952-1954 Herb served his country during the Korean conflict as a First Lieutenant in the Army. Following his service, he received his Masters of Science in Industrial Management from Georgia Institute of Technology where he was a student instructor. He later did post-graduate work at MIT. He was employed by the Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation in Houston, Texas, in 1957 as an analyst. During his 23 year tenure with the company Herb served in numerous capacities including Treasurer and Group Vice President of Plans and Controls. During this time he was on loan to the Senate Interior Committee and participated in the White House study on fuel technology. He testified before the Federal Power Commission and published numerous reports for the White House Office of Science and Technology. Herb was a visiting lecturer at Penn State University, and served on committees for the American Gas Association and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. The Bickel family relocated to Dallas in 1980 where Herb served as Senior Vice President Finance for Saxon Oil Company. He later served as President of May Petroleum and then Resource Savings. In 1987, Herb acquired StatLab Medical Products. Working with his three sons, Herb used his extensive business experience to develop the company. Herb served his community as the President of the Hickory Ridge Board of Directors while in Houston, as a Director for the Bolo Point Water Supply Company, and most recently as a member of the Stonebriar Board of Directors in Frisco. He was an Honorary member of the Texas Society for Histotechnology. He attended the First United Methodist Church of Frisco. He will be missed by many, but especially his son, David Bickel, daughter-in-law Denise, and grandchildren, Lindsey and Andrew Bickel of Plano; son, Daniel Bickel, daughter-in-law Laura, and grandchildren, Courtney, Kyle and Todd Bickel of McKinney; son, John Bickel and daughter-in-law Mary, and grandchildren, Jonathan Gentry, Virginia and Eva Bickel of Frisco. He is survived by his brother, Gary Bickel and sister-in-law Ilene of Bonita Springs, Florida. Visitation will be held at Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home Sunday, December 4, 2005 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 5, 2005 at Sparkman- Hillcrest Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Doug Miller officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Herbert Bickel Memorial for the Hematology-Oncology Research Fund. Checks may be made payable to: Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Mail to: Office of Development, U2SWMC, PO Box 910888, Dallas, TX 75391-0888.