Bob Dwelle, a potato physiologist who was a respected member of the Potato Association of America and a professor at the University of Idaho, died Sept. 4 at age 69 due to complications of congestive heart failure.
Joe Guenthner, emeritus professor of agricultural economics at the University of Idaho, met Dwelle in 1980.
“He was a few years older than I, had more experience and had a tremendous amount of respect within the university community and within the potato industry, so I wanted to be like him when I grew up,” Guenthner said.
Dwelle earned his doctorate in plant physiology in 1974 from the University of Montana, according to his obituary on the website of the Moscow-Pullman (Idaho) Daily News. He then took a job at the University of Idaho, initially in Aberdeen, and eventually moved to Moscow and became the plant science chair in the College of Agriculture. His nickname was “Dr. Spud.”
“One of his big contributions was the students that he educated, both undergraduate students and graduate students who are now professors in their own right,” Guenthner said. “For a long time he taught a potato science course…and he was innovative in that he made it available on videotape so that it was available not just to students on campus but to people in the potato industry around the world who wanted to learn about potato science…He also taught an introductory plant science course that motivated many young people to pursue careers in plant science.”
Dwelle also encouraged his graduate students to become fellow members of the Potato Association of America.
“Bob understood well that for potato scientists to have an impact they needed connection to the industry, and what they learned in the labs and research plots needed to be applied to the people who were growing and packing and processing potatoes,” Guenthner said. “The connection between the academic community and the industry (was something) that he handled very well, and he taught his students about the connections between science and practical applications.”
As for who Dwelle was as a person, Guenthner summed it up simply: “I don’t recall ever seeing Bob when he wasn’t smiling.”
Dwelle and his wife Anne were active in Emmanuel Lutheran Church and its preschool. CindyMarie Polley, the administrative assistant at the church, said Dwelle was the treasurer.
“Just a fantastic man to work with,” Polley said. “Always positive and with a smile on his face…I would describe him as one of the nicest men I know. He’s going to be sorely missed.”
Dwelle also served on the Moscow school board and had previously served on the Aberdeen City Council. He was also involved in Rotary and Girl Scouts.
“He was a man ahead of his time regarding expanding roles of women,” Guenthner said. “He and I joked that we both lived in houses of estrogen—he had two daughters and I had three daughters. He was actually involved in Girl Scouts. He did the family laundry, and…he moved his position to Moscow so that his wife could go to law school She attained a law degree and got an attorney job in Moscow, so rather than returning to Aberdeen like they had planned, they stayed in Moscow.”
Dwelle is survived by his wife Anne, his daughters Karin Jones and Janna Smith, his grandchildren Christian Vega, Elena Grace Vega and Clara Jones, and his brother Richard Dwelle.
Source: The Packer