Art Krenzel

survived by his two children, Art III and Jennifer. Art was born on August 27, 1941 and grew up

on a farm near Selz, ND. He was the third son born to Art and Elizabeth Krenzel who preceded

him in death. Coming from simple beginnings, Art went on to get a Degree in Chemical

Engineering from the University of North Dakota. His avowed goal was to solve a million

problems and date a million women. He is said to have made a significant dent in both goals

during his lifetime.

Art began his career working as a Research Engineer for the DuPont Company at several east

coast locations where he was awarded three patents for his work. Several years later, at the

height of the Vietnam War, he was suddenly drafted into the US Army despite having a critical

skills deferment. Not to give up, Art enlisted in the USAF before his draft due date and qualified

to become an Officer. He completed near the top of the class in Officer Training School and was

selected to become a pilot. At Pilot Training, he finished near the top of the class and was

assigned to fly combat reconnaissance in an RF-4C Phantom. After upgrade training (lasting

only 47 flight hours) he was assigned to Udorn RTAB to fly single ship hazardous missions over

heavily defended North Vietnam. He finished his one year tour after 175 combat missions with a

Silver Star award, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and seven air medals.

Art was then assigned to fly the RF-4C at RAF Alconbury in the UK in support of the NATO

mission in Europe. He continued to advance and became an Instructor Pilot teaching Advanced

Combat Maneuvering and flying Mach 2+ Functional Check Flights. He traveled extensively all

over Europe especially in England where he was stationed.

Running out of adventure, Art resigned his Air Force Commission to try his hand in the civilian

world. His first job was as a team member instrumenting and collecting data from trains which

underwent intentional derailment. Then he and one of his brothers built and operated an

insulation manufacturing plant beginning with parts from junk yards. After operating the plant

for 12 years, they sold the plant and Art took a five year mid-career break to work on personal

projects in other areas.

Art’s organics recycling design was selected from an International Competition for the Biosphere

II project in Oracle, AZ. He received a patent in the use of IR photography to monitor forest

fires. He solved the air pollution problem resulting from the annual open field burning of

425,000 acres in Oregon by using organic decomposition rather than fire. The solution

significantly reduced the need for fertilizer, improved the soil, eliminated air pollution and

lowered the disease threat.

Coming out of his five year mid-career break, Art went to work for LANDA pressure washers as

their Chief Engineer for five years. Moving on he worked as an Engineering Consultant in a

variety of fields in the Portland, OR area. He was one of three engineers selected by the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission to solve the corrosion problem resulting from putting spent fuel rods

into intermediate storage at a local nuclear facility. After one year of comprehensive research,

the problem was solved and a 1000+ year storage solution for spent nuclear rods was

demonstrated and implemented.

Art was then tapped to act as Technical Leader in a legal case to defend DOW

AGROSCIENCES in a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit brought on by every city in the

USA. After three years of defense, DOW AGROSCIENCES was exonerated.

Then the fun began when Art answered a design request for the US Army. The US Army needed

advanced sensors to evaluate high speed cannon and detonating explosives. Art designed, built

and demonstrated several new sensor designs. As such, for several years he traveled to many US

Military Artillery firing ranges to demonstrate the sensors on the fastest cannons made.

Art then retired to Battle Ground, WA where he continued to design and build a verity of new

concepts in his shop in the forest. One of new designs was a helicopter “black box” to recover

flight data after a crash.

There will be no services.