Dick was hired by MSU in 1962 and spent 40 years as Potato Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences. He ‘moved on’ in 2002 and spent much of his time in retirement traveling to visit with potato growers as an ‘ambassador of goodwill’ and enjoying time with his family.
He was recognized as a potato seed certification advisor and a potato variety specialist, overseeing variety trials across the country and served as a technical advisor to the Snack Food Association. Dick received many awards over the years from Michigan State University, the Michigan Seed Potato Association, the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, the National Potato Council, the Michigan Vegetable Council and the Snack Food Association.
Someone who would always go the extra mile, Dick was quick to help a fellow researcher or educator and was a mentor to many. He would always look to recruit the sons and daughters of farmers to attend MSU and earn a degree from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He believed in helping students anyway possible.
A member of Okemos Community Church, he is survived by his wife Hazel ‘Casey’ Chase of 64 years, his daughter Jean, son-in-law Tim and two grandaughters, Caroline and Claudia.
A celebration of life service to honor Dick’s journey will be held on February 17, 2020 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing from 11:30-2:00. Please RSVP no later than February 1st to Casey Chase at [email protected].
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eversight (eye bank), 3985 Research Park Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (www.eversightvision.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association, 564 S. Main St., #200, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (www.alz.org)
