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WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Dwight L. Needels, 62, died surrounded by his family on Monday, March 12, 2018.
Born in Hays, Kan, on May 16, 1955, Dwight took an early interest in learning. He attended McMurry University in Abilene, Texas where he met and fell in love with his wife, Theresa. Dwight was a devoted member of Chi Omicron (XO), and he graduated magna cum laude with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Physics and Math. He went on to earn a dual PhD in Biochemistry and Neuroscience at Michigan State University, and did his postdoctoral work at U.C. Irvine.
Dwight was a resident of Connecticut for 28 years and was known for his enthusiasm for life. He had a passion for the outdoors which led him to use his GPS to map the local brooks and hiking trails in Meriden. These maps were published by the Meriden Land Trust and can be found at the Meriden Public Library and Town Hall. Dwight was an active member of many community organizations, including Meriden Flood Control, Linear Trail, Conservation, Inland Wetlands, Scenic Trail, and the Meriden Land Trust, where he was president. The Meriden City Council acknowledged his service to the city with a citation when he left Meriden in 2015.
His love for exploring the outdoors continued when he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he spent many hours in the hills at Black Diamond Mine Regional Park. Other favorite ways to spend his time included singing and playing guitar with friends and family, finding frogs and salamanders with his granddaughter, and enjoying the wonders of the sky. Dwight loved working for Roche Pharmaceuticals as a Documentation Manager and enjoyed the Roche community.
Dwight leaves behind his wife of 42 years, Theresa (Davis) Needels; his daughters, Thea Mills and Corrie Needels; son in-law, Harold Walker; granddaughter, Kaia Mills; parents, Foster and Donna (Gibson) Needels; and sisters, Jeannette Duke and Cindy Perez; as well as numerous other in-laws, nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews. A memorial service will be held for Dwight in Meriden over the summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Meriden Land Trust, P.O. Box 1745, Meriden, CT 06450.
Published in The Record-Journal on Mar. 18, 2018 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188140926/dwight-l-needles
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