May 22, 1938 – October 8, 2010
Dr. Noel Calvin Krothe, 72, died at Bloomington Hospital on Friday, October 8, after a brief illness. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. He was born on May 22, 1938, in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, to the late Florence (Rinehamer) and Willis Krothe.
He graduated from Bloomsburg State College in Pennsylvania with a B.S. degree in 1961. He received a M.A.T. through an NSF Fellowship for Earth Science Teachers from Indiana University in 1968. Noel taught earth science in the public school system in Baltimore, Maryland, before completing his education at the Pennsylvania State University where he received a MS degree in 1973, and his Ph.D. in 1976. Noel began his collegiate teaching career at Indiana University in 1976, retiring in 2003 as Professor Emeritus. During his tenure, Noel served as an advisor to 52 M.S. and 12 Ph.D. students. He authored 75 published papers and 125 abstracts. Noel received the Sagamore of the Wabash award from Gov. Frank O’Bannon on the occasion of his retirement. After retiring from the university, he founded Hydrogeology Inc., an environmental consulting firm with his son Jason.
During his career at Indiana University, Noel took 3 sabbatical leaves internationally. The first to the University of Rome in 1984, the second was a speaking tour throughout China in 1992, and the last at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2000. Noel’s expertise in karst hydrogeology took him to many other international destinations, including: Japan, Russia, Slovenia, Australia, Great Britain, Scotland, Sardinia, Mexico, the Bahamas, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Noel was a diehard Indiana basketball fan and Penn State football fan. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing in destinations throughout the world over the course of his life. Noel loved travel with friends and family and visited nearly every state in the US and many other foreign countries.
Noel’s life was grounded in his love for his family. He enjoyed nothing more than time spent with his wife, children and grandchildren at home in Indiana, at the beach in Sandestin, Florida, and in the mountains of Colorado and the western U.S.
Noel leaves behind his wife of 42 years Joyce (Splann) Krothe, his children Kara (Lisa Leedy) of Bloomington, Joseph (Heidi) of Houston, TX, and Jason (Kandi) of Bloomington. He also leaves behind his grandchildren Carly, Calvin, and Carter Krothe of Houston, TX, his brother Dale of Berwick, PA, sisters Donna Goobic, and Kay Wolfe of Shickshinny, PA, and several nieces and nephews. Noel was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jay, and his sister Joan.
Noel has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church since 1977. Friends may call at the Day Funeral Home on Friday, October 15, from 5-7 p.m. and on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 5 p.m. also at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Indiana University Foundation for the Noel C. Krothe Hydrogeology Graduate Student Fund.
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