William Chase, 80, Lewston Idaho

Published 10:05 am Thursday, May 3, 2012

Dr. William Milton Chase, Ph.D., was born Nov. 3, 1931, in Albert Lea, to Helen Peers and Homer B. Chase. He died April 25, 2012, at his home in Lewiston, Idaho, at age 80.

Chase

He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1949, attended Montana State University in Bozeman, obtaining his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in agricultural economics and attended Iowa State University and the University of Minnesota prior to obtaining his Ph.D. at the University of Denver in higher education administration.

He served two years in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany and was part of the Honor Guard, selected to parade before the Queen of Holland for the 10th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands.

His career took him to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., where he served as assistant dean of men. While working on his dissertation at the University of Denver, he was assistant dean of business administration. From 1977-1980, Bill was a visiting professor in School of Business at the University of Montana in Missoula and from 1981-1995, professor of business and interim dean of the School of Business at Adams State College, Alamosa, Colo.

After retiring, he and his wife, Mary Jo, moved to Idaho. Bill was an avid reader, enjoyed sports and traveling.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; first wife Sandra Hess Chase; and son Bryan Chase.

He is survived by wife Mary Jo (Wemhoff) of Chase, Idaho; daughter Julie (Rick Middlebrook) of Vermont; and son Joseph Chase of Colorado. He will also be missed by his five grandchildren: Jodi (Brody Gilbert) and Whitney (Cody Norris) of Vermont, Bill (Betty Chase), Thomas Chase and James Chase all of Colorado; seven great-grandchildren: Ella and Maeve Gilbert, Tatum Norris, Jaelynn, Caden, T.J. and Jarren Chase; a sister, Susan (John Corker) of Illinois; two nieces; and two nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Adams State College, School of Business 208 Edgemont Blvd, Alamosa, CO 81101 or Booth Gardner Parkinson Center 13030 121st Way NE Kirkland, WA 98034.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Congregational-Presbyterian Church, 709 Sixth St., Lewiston, Idaho. A memorial service will be conducted at a later date in Alamosa, Colo., and his ashes will be interred in Montana.