Ronald Eldon "Ron" Hermanson, 82, a longtime Pullman resident and retired Washington State University agriculture engineering specialist, passed away Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at Whitman Senior Living. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pullman, with the Rev. Wesley Howell officiating. Friends may call and pay their respects from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Kimball Funeral Home.

Ron was born to Emil and Ruth (Olson) Hermanson on March 31, 1933, in Kiester, Minn. He grew up in Scarville, Iowa, where he attended school, graduating as valedictorian and class president of the class of 1950. After high school, Ron was drafted into the U.S. Army, with intentions that he would serve overseas in the Korean conflict. The war ended while he was in boot camp, so Ron was stationed in Germany.

In 1953, Ron met his wife, Franceen Nelson, at a local drive-in, where she worked as a roller-skating waitress. After returning home following an honorable discharge, the couple married July 8, 1955, in Lake Mills, Iowa.

Ron earned three degrees at Iowa State University, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1958, his master's degree in 1964 and his doctorate in water resource engineering in 1967. He was a faculty member at Auburn University in Alabama before accepting a position at WSU in the winter of 1972. Ron worked for the WSU Extension as an agricultural engineering specialist in water quality for the remainder of his career, more than 30 years, retiring in 1996. Ron was a member of the Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers as well as the American Geophysical Union.

He was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed working with his hands, building curio cabinets for his family as well as tinkering on anything in the garage - cars, small engines or woodworking. Ron loved the Palouse and enjoyed taking rides in the country to check out the farms. Ron was an avid photographer and enjoyed gathering everyone at the house for slide shows.

While terribly saddened by the loss of Ron, his spirit and love of life will continue on through his wife of 60 years, Franceen Hermanson, at the family home in Pullman; daughter Julie Hermanson of Pullman; sons Mark (Fran) Hermanson of Pullman and Michael (Lynn) Hermanson of Tacoma; and his five wonderful grandchildren, Nicole, Kellie, Jamie, Preston and Jaeda.

Memorial contributions in Ron's honor are suggested to the Whitman County Friends of Hospice, P.O. Box 484, Pullman, WA 99163. Kimball Funeral Home and Crematory of Pullman has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kimballfh.com.