Professor Emeritus Richard Netzel, Ph.D., Physics, died peacefully at home with his family by his side March 13 at age 93. His family described him as a brilliant, witty, intellectually curious man whose humor and loving kindness will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Netzel was born in Shawano, Wisconsin, on May 13, 1928, to a home-economics teacher and a cabinet-maker who owned and operated a family restaurant during the Depression. In 1951, he married Delorus Jeanne Erickson, a piano teacher and accompanist, and they would remain married for 70 years.

After earning a doctorate in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Netzel taught Physics at UW-Oshkosh before accepting a one-year academic college-administration internship at the University of Oregon in 1968. During the summer months, he worked for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, developing elementary-school science curriculum.

In 1972, Netzel moved his family to Denver to accept the position of vice president of Academic Affairs at what was then Metropolitan State College; in 1977, he served as acting president. In 1983, he transferred to the Department of Physics to teach. Netzel also continued his focus on K-12 science education, creating the first multidisciplinary course in science for elementary- education students and designing a broad-based science major for Education majors.

A dedicated member of the Roadrunner family, Netzel returned to the college classroom at the end of his career and served on the University’s 50th Anniversary History Committee. His legacy lives on at MSU Denver through the Origins Endowed Scholarship, a fund co-established with alumna Mary Bleecher, ’76, to provide scholarships to students facing personal challenges; and the Wilson-Netzel Endowed Scholarship, benefiting Physics majors.

Netzel served eight years in the Army National Guard, including two years of active duty. Always athletic and fit, he completed one of the most arduous Ride the Rockies bicycle tours in the event’s history with his adult children at age 65. Additionally, he was an avid skier and longtime safety-patrol volunteer at Copper Mountain Ski Resort until well into his 80s.

Netzel is survived by his wife, his sister Sally, children Lizabeth, David and Joanne, their spouses, grandchildren Andrew Holly and Anna Holly (Price Robideaux) and great-granddaughter Ada Hollydeaux.