William "Bill" Meluch, Ph.D.

William “Bill” Meluch, Ph.D., age 94, beloved husband and father, of Birmingham, MI and Selma, TX died on Saturday, December 23, 2023 at St. Francis Nursing Home in San Antonio. He was born on September 10, 1929 near Charleroi PA, and grew up in the local area, graduating from Charleroi High School in 1947.

Bill Meluch graduated from Duquesne University in 1951, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He continued his education beyond the Bachelor’s level, earning both Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Chemistry from New York University (NYU) in 1954 and 1956 respectively.

During his time in graduate school, Bill met Joan Heyl at a local dance. He and Joan were married on September 1, 1956, shortly after Bill’s graduation from NYU. Together Bill & Joan raised four, at times rambunctious, boys.

Over the years, Bill held positions at Trubeck Laboratories (Rutherford, NJ), and at Allied Chemical (Richmond VA), before accepting an Associate Senior Research Chemist role in the Polymers Department of General Motors Research Laboratories (Warren MI). He stayed at General Motors Research (GMR), advancing to successively more senior roles, until his retirement in 1986.

Bill was an active member of his community, especially in education. He began teaching night courses in Chemistry at the Lawrence Institute of Technology (now Lawrence Technological University) of Southfield, MI in 1982, and continuing to teach at San Antonio College (San Antonio, TX) after his post-retirement move south to escape the joys of winter in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Bill & Joan settled in Selma, TX and lived there quietly, joining the nearby Our Lady of Perpetual Help church where Bill sang in the choir for more than a decade.

Bill is survived by his wife Joan, sons Raymond (Wendy), Timothy (Sandra), Philip (Meredith), and Norman (Kelly), and five grandchildren.

Services were held on Jan 12, 2024 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (New Braunfels, TX).

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to The Carmelite Sisters, 22134 Main St., Oldenburg IN 47036, or The Duquesne Fund, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15282. Condolences may be left at SchertzFuneralHome.com.