Misc. Notes
Garman Oscar Kimmell, Jr., 95, left his temporal earthly home on November 8, 2008, and entered his eternal heavenly home. He was born in Hutton, Maryland, on October 7, 1913, to Garman O. and Marie L. Kimmell, Sr. and moved to Wichita, Kansas, with his parents and sister, Melba, as a young boy. Garman received his MS in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1937 and married Vera Pauline Setzer, on July 10, 1938. They settled in Oklahoma City; and after working for Black, Sivalls, & Bryson as Chief Researcher for 11 years, he founded Kimray, Inc. in 1948, a manufacturer of oil and gas equipment and controls. Garman invented and designed most of the products manufactured by Kimray and served as President and Chief Developer for 57 years, seeing the company grow from 4 employees to over 550. He has received 28 patents. Garman designed and manufactured medical devices, including the equipment used to perform the first open-heart surgery in Oklahoma by doctors Greer, Carey, Zuhdi, Holly and Hartsuck, at Mercy Hospital, where he also served with them as the Technical Physicist. The Vena-Cava Filter he invented has been used in over a half million patients. Garman was involved in educating, lecturing, and teaching at high schools, colleges, civic organizations, and Christian groups. He served as a mentor for Junior Achievement and on numerous boards. Garman recorded the Oklahoma Philharmonic Orchestra for 30 years as a public service, with recordings aired on KCSC. He was instrumental in the promotion and funding of the Character Training Institute in downtown Oklahoma City, a worldwide organization promoting character development in families, businesses, schools, governments, prisons, and churches. He was active in political and civic affairs and served as the Chairman of Our American Heritage Committee for many years, working to return our nation to its roots as a limited Constitutional republic. Garman was a committed philanthropist and generously contributed to the needy, education, the arts, and the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was an active member of First Lutheran Church, serving on the vestry and teaching Sunday School for 60 years. Garman's wife, Vera, preceded him in death by 30 years. He is survived by his 3 daughters and their husbands, Barbara and Dusty Miller in Mechanicsburg, PA, Kay and Tom Hill in Edmond, OK, and Martha and Fred Greene in Irvine, CA. He has 7 grandchildren, Jan Tjomsland, Daniel Miller, Thomas Hill, David Hill, Karen Bullard, Lindsay Greene, and Allison Greene; and 22 great-grandchildren. His family gives thanks and praise to God for Garman's life - a life dedicated to serving his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and one that has given glory to God and brought good to all those whom his life has touched.
1