John Hemdal

Dr. John Hemdal, 89, passed away on January 19, 2024, and typical for him, wrote notes for his family to use for his own obituary. Also typical for him he listed only the hard facts, and not the lovely in-between stories and proud moments that the family wishes to share with you.

The facts: John was born in 1934 and raised in Peru Indiana, the middle of 3 children, to Genevieve (Spink) and Olaf Hemdal, who immigrated from Norway. His sister, Elizabeth and brother, Laurence, preceded him in death. John loved school and was a proud Eagle Scout. He went to Purdue University where he received his BS in Electrical Engineering in 1957 and went on to complete his PH. D in 1964. He was a research engineer at the John’s Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory from 1957-58 and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1964 to work as a research associate and lecturer for the University of Michigan and then as Head of the Geophysics Laboratory for the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) from 1974-1976. He was Assistant Professor from 1973-1982 at the University of Michigan (Dearborn). In 1982, he moved to the University of Toledo, where he was a full time professor and assistant chairman in the School of Engineering. When John retired, he spent much of his time in Dundee with his beloved wife Sally (Moore) reading, walking the dogs and playing volleyball.

The “in-between”: John was a wonderful teller of stories, which were probably true, but with slight embellishments. For example, he loved telling us the moment he knew he was going to marry Sally. He was a nine year old boy who often walked past Sally’s home in the small town of Peru, Indiana. One day, he saw a girl sitting on the porch steps reading, and a thought came to his mind: That is the girl I am going to marry. It wasn’t until they were both at Purdue that they got married in 1958. Then, there was the time he nearly blew up his parents’ basement with a science experiment mishap!

John was quite the forward thinker, often foretelling what is to come years later. While pursuing his Ph.D., he created a computer that could print what you wanted by speaking into it, rather than using a keyboard (sounds like Siri) and in 1979 he authored a book about the need for inexpensive alternative energy titled, The Energy Center.

John was a secret sentimentalist, keeping many letters and cards that he wrote to his wife, and those he received from his children Jay Hemdal (Tammy), Paula Hemdal (Christof Roche) and Allison Micham (Mel), his grandchildren, John Hemdal, Jacob and Lauren Micham and Isabel and Alexandra Roche, and his great grandchildren Harrison and Cruz Hemdal.

John preferred not to have a service. In lieu of flowers or memorials, the family asks that you share a family story with your own children or friends, like John was so fond of doing. Arrangements were handled by Walker Funeral Home, Toledo (419-841-2422). Online condolences to the family may be made at walkerfuneralhomes.com.