- Date Of Birth: November 8, 1927
- Date Of Death: April 4, 2014
- State: Michigan
William Kenmore “Ken” Schweitzer, Jr., age 86 of Midland, died Friday April 4, 2014 at MidMichigan Medical Center. The son of the late William K. and Helen (Knuth) Schweitzer, Sr. was born in Cleveland, Ohio on November 8, 1927. He was a 1944 graduate of Claymont High School in Claymont, Delaware and attended Princeton University until 1946 when he entered the United States Army and served in the occupation of Korea until being discharged in 1948.
Ken returned to Princeton and received his Bachelors of Science degree in Engineering (Chemical) in 1948. Later that year he attended graduate school at the University of Cincinnati where he met and married Shirley Ann Karnes. In 1953 Ken received his Ph.D. (chemistry) and joined The Dow Chemical Company in Midland. Ken continued to work for Dow until his retirement at the end of 1990. Starting as research chemist, he was involved in the commercialization of new plastics and received about a dozen patents.
He later moved through various positions, primarily involving analytical financial functions and concluding as Corporate Director of Economic and Strategic Planning. Ken enjoyed his career, especially during the last few years when he was able to visit the many global offices and plants of the Company. In retirement he and Shirley enjoyed their strong interest in family history.
Ken was also active in community life. He was elected to the Midland Board of Education and appointed to the city planning commission. The family enjoyed skiing and sailing. Shirley particularly loved gardening and various artistic endeavors. In 1999 Shirley died suddenly of lymphoma while wintering in Tucson AZ. Ken returned to Midland, sold their condominium in Charlevoix, Mi and the house they had built in 1957 in Midland. Ken later married Ruth Mitchell, a widow and neighbor of some twenty years and moved back to the old neighborhood on Crescent Drive.
Surviving is his wife of 13 year Ruth Schweitzer; son, William Kurt (Dawn) Schweitzer of Rochester, New York; grandchildren, William Kevin Schweitzer and Stephanie Erin Schweitzer; brothers, Glenn (Carole) Schweitzer of Arlington, Virginia, Dennis (Jan) Schweitzer of Portland, Oregon. In addition to his parents and wife,
Ken was preceded in death by a son, James Scott Schweitzer in 1977.
