Rudolph H. Stehl, 74, of Osprey, died Monday, Nov. 26, 2012.

Rudy was born Dec. 2, 1937, in Oakland, Neb., to Dr. Carl Stehl and Anna Stehl, grew up in Scribner, Neb., and graduated from the University of Nebraska in l962. He earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry in 1966 from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. His entire career was spent with the Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, Mich., and Marion, Merrell, Dow in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a research scientist, spent some time in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Karolinska Institute and in 1981 directed research in hydrocarbons and styrene in Dow, the Netherlands. In 1989, he moved to Walnut Creek, Calif., where he directed a plastics research lab. In 1992, he moved to Cincinnati to finish his career at Marion, Merrell, Dow, and retired in 1997. Upon retirement, Rudy and his wife, Dottie, decided to move to the warmer climates of Florida. In 2004 they moved to the Sarasota area, where he enjoyed the beaches, community and many of the cultural offerings in the vicinity.

He played ice hockey as a young man and was a life-long fan of the Detroit Red Wings. While living in Europe he developed a keen interest in oenology and continued that interest throughout his life. He also was captured by the chemistry of baking bread and enjoyed experimenting with flour and yeast, fine-tuning his product.

Rudy was a life-long Christian and treasured his faith and family above all else. He was an active member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Venice.

His life is cherished by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy; son, Eric M. Stehl (Cathy), of Norman, Okla.; sisters, Susan Stehl-Stohs of Denver, Colo., Rebecca (Vern) Souders of McMinnville, Ore., and Martha (Jerry) Rus of Topeka, Kan.

In 2008, he was predeceased by his son, Mark Alan Stehl, of Traverse City, Mich.

Services: A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Venice.

Contributions: In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Venice, the American Heart Association or Tidewell Hospice.