A MEMORIAL TO RONALD W. TREICK
Dr. Ronald W. Treick was born on June 8, 1934 in Scotland, South Dakota, the son of Dr. Walter and Lena Treick. His father, a dentist, was of German descent and one of twelve brothers and sisters. During summers, Ron worked on his Uncle's farm where he learned the value of hard work and where his strong work ethic developed.
He was interested in a variety of subjects and took advanced placement courses in science and mathematics in high school. Mr. Elmer Lund, his high school chemistry teacher, was a person whom he held in the highest esteem.
At the University of South Dakota, Ron took chemistry and bacteriology and was fascinated by the wonders of microscopic organisms. He was influenced by his bacteriology professor, Dr. C.D. Cox, with whom he did a special research project. Ron's interest in microbes finally led to his becoming President of the Bacteriology Club. After earning his B.A. (56) and M.S. (57) degrees at South Dakota, Ron began his doctoral studies at Indiana University while working as a research scientist at the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company. When he had earned his Ph.D. at Indiana University in 1965, Ron left Upjohn and joined the faculty at Miami University.
The department of Microbiology at Miami University had been seeking a candidate with a strong microbial chemistry emphasis to strengthen this area as we sought to gain accreditation as a doctoral department. Ron was the first doctoral student advisor in our joint Ph.D. program with Ohio State University. In turn, Ron was the Major Professor for many doctoral students in our own Ph.D. program and he enjoyed staying in contact with them after they graduated. He was especially proud that his graduates had entered many different professional occupations including: teaching, one as an F.B.I. agent, others in research management, pharmaceutical research, research in institutes, and various positions in industrial microbiology.
While at Miami, Ron spent a summer at the University of Illinois, Urbana in order to upgrade his research project involving modern instrumentation: ultracentrifugation and the scintillation counter and others. He also participated in a summer workshop at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to study Radiation Biology and the safe handling of radioactive chemicals. This experience prepared him to direct the radiation safety requirements for research at Miami University.
Ron taught many courses at Miami including: experimenting with microbes, community health, applied and industrial microbiology, microbiology seminars and others. He enjoyed very much working with students, particularly in the research laboratory. His teaching commitment and style was very much influenced by his mentor, Dr. Walter Konetska, himself the recipient of Microbiology's Outstanding Teaching Award.
Ron had played basketball in high school and his interest in sports remained strong while at Miami. He was very proud of Miami's basketball and football players who did well in the NBA (Ron Harper and Wally Szczerbiak) and the NFL (Ben Roethlisberger) teams. He also followed the Indiana basketball team but never commented on Coach Bobby Knight's conduct at the games.
Ron was an avid philatelist and was an active member of the Middletown Stamp Club and in retirement, also joined the Hamilton Stamp Club. He and his wife Mina were interested in antiques and enjoyed doing research on them. They traveled to auctions on collecting trips and enjoyed this hobby.
Ron was a quiet and peaceful man and colleagues affirm that they never heard him speak a harsh word. Ron is survived by Mina his devoted wife of fifty years, twin sons, Scott of Oxford and Stephen of Safety Harbor, Florida; Mother-in-Law, Adella Wold of Scotland, South Dakota and many cousins in Scotland and throughout the United States.
Ron's students, colleagues and friends are grateful for his friendship and for his many contributions to the department, the university and to the Oxford community.
J.K. Bhattacharjee, Chair
John R. Stevenson
C.K. Williamson
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