H. B. Patel (1933-2019)

PATEL

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/6/2019 at 16:04:36

Hargovindbhai Bhikhabhai "H.B." Patel, 85, of Maquoketa, Iowa, passed away on Monday, March 4, 2019, at his home in Maquoketa.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 2:30 P.M., Saturday, March 9, 2019, at Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa. Cremation rites have been accorded.

Hargovindbhai Bhikhabhai Patel was born on October 27, 1933 in Surat, India to Bhikhabhai and Laxmiben (Patel) Patel. He grew up in India and received an engineering degree from India Engineering College and later furthered his education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

While attending college in America, H.B. worked as a dishwasher for 5 cents an hour. Upon graduation, he moved to Maquoketa and worked at Clinton Engines. He then worked for DuPont in Clinton and retired after a long and distinguished career as a U.S Army civilian employee with the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. As the engineering manager for the Integrated Logistics Support Center of TACOM Life Cycle Management Command he oversaw 10 individual Product Support Integration Directorates in locations across the country. In 2005, he received the individual Value Engineering Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Defense. He accepted the award during a ceremony at the Pentagon. The honor acknowledged exemplary achievement in improvement of in-house and contractor productivity.

H.B. was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Andrew, the Maquoketa Lions Club, and was a SAE International lifetime member. He enjoyed gardening and fishing. He had been a resident of Maquoketa since the early 1960's. He loved living in a small town and considered Maquoketa his home.

Those left to honor his memory include his brother, Maganbhai (Maniben) Patel of Los Angeles, CA; sisters, Urmilaben (Chandrakantbhai) Patel of Nashville, TN, and Champaben (Dhansukbhai) Patel of Elkhart, IN; 9 nieces and nephews; and 18 great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.