DENIS JOSEPH ZIGRANG
TULSA, Okla. — Denis Joseph Zigrang, 92, died August 31, 2018 from a broken heart. Employed by North American Aviation-Downey, CA (nuclear energy research and propulsion thermodynamics), Martin-Denver (rocket science), Bendix Missiles (Chief Propulsion Engineer), Retired from North American-Rockwell-Tulsa (analytical specialist), retired Mechanical Engineering Professor from the University of Tulsa where he was selected Tau Beta Pi Engineering Professor of the Year in 1990. He was proceeded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 69 years, Betty Lou Lamoureux Zigrang, their daughter Mary Kay, their son Leo, his parents Harry Louis Zigrang of Livermore, IA and Augustine Choquette of Salix, IA, and by her parents, Leo and Evelyn Edgar Lamoureux of Varina, IA. He is survived by their children, Larry and wife Liz, Dr. Tricia Zigrang, and by Laurie Davie and her husband Mike.
Denis was a graduate of Loyola College Preparatory High School, Los Angeles, where he won the Bausch and Lomb science medal and was president of Loyola’s chapter of the California Scholarship Federation; of Iowa State College with a BS in Chemical Engineering where he won the Alpha Chi Sigma chemistry award and was a member of the engineering honorary society, Tau Beta Pi; and of the University of Tulsa with an MS in Mechanical Engineering and a Doctorate of Philosophy earned in the TU Chemical Engineering Department. He authored a classified book on high-energy aerospace fuels and numerous scientific and engineering journal articles. He was the author of the textbook “Elements of Engineering Measurements.” In his 79th year, he wrote his autobiography. He was a Fellow Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the boards of several local non-profit organizations. He was a volunteer nursing home ombudsman and a member of Christ the King, Immaculate Conception and Holy Family Cathedral Parishes.
Denis is also survived by: grandchildren, Terri (Zigrang) and husband Andy Vajda, John and Rachel Zigrang, Kathleen Livingood, Benjamin and Kaitlyn Zigrang, Sarah (Zigrang) and Joel Katz, Ericka and James Guinan, Jake and Gian Olsen, and Eleanor, Evelyn, Gordon, and Malcolm Davie; and by great grand children, Isaac Vajda, Marc, Luc, and Ajax Zigrang, Christopher, Nathan, and Andrew Livingood, Kallai and Enoch Zigrang, and Nova Katz. Sister Mary and brother Frank, sisters-in-law Patricia and Cheri, and brother-in-law Arthur also survive him. His sister Margaret Hergenreter and brother James Zigrang preceded him in death.
Catholic Rosary was Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m., in the Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel and funeral mass was Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 11:00 a.m., in Holy Family Cathedral. Interment followed in Calvary Cemetery.
Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151