Richard F. "Dick" Markel, 91, devoted husband and loving father, died Saturday, July 7, 2012, at St. Francis Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Phyllis Hinkle Markel.
He is the grandfather of Robert Markel, CGR, President of the Home Builders Association of Greenville and President of Hadrian Construction Company, Inc.
Dick, the son of the late Robert and Edna Markel, was reared in Johnstown, PA.
He was a 1942 engineering graduate of Pennsylvania State University. He served his country in World War II in Europe as a member of the 26th Infantry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery in combat. After the war, he did post-graduate work in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 1948 until 1968, he was an engineer and executive with Great Lakes Carbon Company and the Carborundum Company in New York and California. In 1968, Dick formed his own engineering firm, R.F. Markel & Associates, which was based in Greenville from 1970 onward. He was an expert in carbon and graphite technology and held several patents. He specialized in the design of complex high-temperature furnaces and processes; he also supervised the installation of his designs in numerous factories in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Dick was an avid golfer and skilled woodworker. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Greenville.
He is also survived by four children: Kathryn Levy and husband Philip of Akron; Patricia Barnes and husband William of Charlotte; John and wife Fleming, and Richard and wife Tetiana, all of Greenville; four grandchildren, Melanie Levy, Alison Levy, Hampton Markel, and Robert Markel and wife Erin; and three great-grandchildren, Lillie, Louise, and John Douglas Markel.
Dick was predeceased by his sister, Marian Leventry Kinsey, and by his brothers, Robert, William, and Charles.
A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, Greenville, on Friday July 13, at 11:00 a.m. A reception at the church for family and friends will immediately follow the service.
Memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, 417 Rutherford St, Greenville, SC 29609, or Trinity Lutheran Church, 421 N. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.
The Home Builders Association of Greenville are your neighbors and community leaders providing education and support for building industry professionals. We create jobs, encourage homeownership, and promote responsible growth throughout the upstate of South Carolina.
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