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201 West Lampkin St.,
STARKVILLE, MS 39759
Phone: (662) 323-5905
201 West Lampkin St.
STARKVILLE, MS 39759
Phone: (662) 323-5905
201 West Lampkin St.
STARKVILLE, MS 39759
Phone: (662) 323-5905
201 West Lampkin St.
STARKVILLE, MS 39759
Phone: (662) 323-5905
201 West Lampkin St.
STARKVILLE, MS 39759
Phone: (662) 323-5905
Dr. Donald Emerich
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Obituary for Dr. Donald Warren Emerich

Dr. Donald Warren  Emerich
Dr. Donald Warren Emerich was born on July 12, 1920. Don was the son of Edward Robert Emerich and Minnie Gertrude Beck of Schuylkill Haven, PA. Don had two half-brothers William Edward and Wesley Francis, one half-sister Ethel, and one Sister Mildred May.
Don attended Penn State University from 1938 to 1942 and graduated with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering. Don took a job with Hercules Powder Company in Parlin, NJ where he met his future wife Evelyn Freda Graulich. They were married at St Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church in Milltown, NJ, on Friday evening, September 24, 1943. Later, they were transferred to the Badger Ordnance Works in Baraboo, Wisconsin. This was the world’s largest ammunition plant in 1942. They lived and worked there until 6 months after V-J Day when the plant was shut down. By the fall of 1945 they were both unemployed. Don took a job with U.S. Vanadium Company in Niagara Falls New York in Chemical Sales. Following the advice from his co-workers, Don applied to Ohio State University Graduate School and was accepted into the Ph.D. program in the Dept. of Chemistry. They moved to Columbus Ohio in the summer of 1947. During Don’s graduate studies at Ohio State University, his first son was born, Douglas William Emerich. Don worked on his graduate studies until he received a job opportunity with Kansas State University as a temporary faculty member. After the spring semester at Kansas State, Don returned to Ohio State to complete his research and dissertation. Don graduated with his Ph.D. in chemistry on August 31, 1951. Don then returned to Manhattan, KS where he taught from 1951 to 1954. During his time in Kansas, Don was an active member of the SERTOMA Club “SERvice-TO-MAnkind” where he served as treasurer. During this period Don’s second son was born, Dwight Edward Emerich. Don decided to take a job at Centenary College in Shreveport, LA as an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Chemistry where he taught from 1954 to 1960. During this period Don’s third son was born, David Graulich Emerich. Don also became involved in politics and ran for the State Superintendent of Education for the State of Louisiana as a Republican in 1959.
Don pursued an Associate Professorship opening at Mississippi State University in the Chemistry Department and began teaching in September, 1960. Don temporarily lived in a room on Gillespie Street at the residence of Mrs. Castle, about a mile from the Chemistry Building, until new faculty housing was completed. In early 1961, his family joined him at State College, MS. In the spring of 1962, the family moved into a new home in Green Oaks Subdivision in Starkville. Don became full professor and served as Acting Department Head of the Chemistry Department at MSU for 2 years and Department Head for 10 years. Don served two terms as Chairman of the Miss. Section of the American Chemical Society. Don was active in the Sigma Xi Club of Miss. State and served as the President the year in which they successfully applied for chapter status. Don served several terms as a member of the University Faculty Council for Teaching. During his tenure at Mississippi State, Don went on sabbatical leaves to teach as a visiting professor at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI and at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. Don “retired” from the MSU Chemistry Department and taught chemistry at Utah State University in Logan, Utah from 1987 - 1988. Upon returning to Starkville, Don rejoined MSU where he continued his association with the Chemistry Department as Acting Department Head for a year and teaching as needed until the end of the fall semester 1992 when he ended his career at MSU.
Don was active in the beginnings of the Starkville Symphony Orchestra where he played the violin for many years. Don was also active in the choir of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Starkville. After retiring from MSU as Chemistry Professor Emeritus, Don and his wife participated in many Elderhostel trips, traveling to Mexico, Canada, Spain, England, and France. In retirement Don also joined the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Retirement Development Committee and acted as a “Connector.” Don and his wife remained busy with the Church. In 1998 Don was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. With a medication regimen, Don was able to stave off the effects of MG. for 15 years. Don and his wife continued to live in their home in Green Oaks until declining health and an accidental fall in June of this year caused him to move to The Carrington nursing home in Starkville where he passed away due to congestive heart failure one day away from his 93rd birthday.
Dr. Donald W. Emerich passed away at 9:05 AM on Thursday morning July 11, 2013. His ashes will be placed in the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Columbarium in Starkville, MS after a memorial service on Saturday afternoon, August 3rd, 2013 at 2:00pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc. in Don’s memory. Don is survived by his wife of 70 years, Evelyn; his three sons (spouse): Douglas (Dorothy), Dwight (Renee) and David (Karen); Grandchildren: Jennifer, Sean, Alisa, Christopher, Deidre, and Rachel; Great Grandchildren: Ricky, Harry, and Sophie.

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