The Dan and Lee Ruth Krieg Scholarship Endowment was established by Dan and Lee Ruth in 2014. This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate senior, in the amount of $1,000, who has intentions of attending graduate school at Texas Tech University in the Department of Plant and Soil Science to conduct research in the area of crop management and water use efficiency.

Dr. Daniel (Dan) Ray Krieg, age 72, died on Thursday, June 18, 2015 in Lubbock, Texas. Dan was a beloved husband, father, farmer, teacher, mentor and friend.

Dan was born on May 19, 1943 in Taylor, Texas. His parents, Elmer and Gertrude Krieg, raised him and his brother, Will, on their farm near Thrall, Texas. Growing up on the family farm taught Dan the value of hard work early in life. He graduated from Thrall High School in 1961 and attended Texas Lutheran University on a football scholarship for one year. He then transferred to Texas A&M University where he earned a B.S. degree in Agronomy and a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology.

During his senior year at Texas A&M, Dan met Lee Ruth who was attending Rice University in Houston. They married in 1965 and moved to College Station while Dan earned his Ph.D. In 1970, they had Andrea, their first daughter. Their second daughter, Dana, was born in 1972.

After receiving his Ph.D. in 1970, Dan moved to Lubbock to pursue a career in teaching in the Agronomy department at Texas Tech University. Dan was a passionate teacher and mentor to his students during his 35 years at Texas Tech. Generous with his time and energy, he taught several undergraduate and graduate classes every year where he was able to impact students' lives and futures. He firmly believed in the value of education and knew firsthand how it could transform a life. His passion for teaching was evident in the knowledge and enthusiasm that he transferred to his students. His legacy lives on through their work in dozens of countries around the world.

As a result of his dedication, Dan was named the Leidigh professor of crop physiology in 1996, received the Texas Tech President's Excellence in Teaching Award, and was inducted into Texas Tech University's Department of Plant and Soil Science Faculty Hall of Fame in 2013.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dan led a successful research program in cotton and sorghum. His devotion to improving cotton production on the High Plains helped farmers improve their crop management. In recognition of his contributions to science, Dan was named a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and received the Texas agriculture consultants Outstanding Public Service Award as well as the Beltwide Cotton Conference's Cotton Physiology Outstanding Research Award in 1995.

Dan has been a cotton farmer in Lubbock for over 30 years. As a farmer, he brought a uniquely practical perspective to his teaching and research. Dan was often a source of advice for other farmers and a speaker for cotton production workshops.

Dan also served the broader agricultural community through his service and dedication to local agricultural associations. He served on the board of Liberty Co-op Gin and as the President of Lubbock County Farm Bureau. His love of farming and cotton, much like the great love he had for his family, students and friends, were evident in everything he did.

Lee Ruth Krieg, age 72, died on Monday, July 20, 2015, in Lubbock following a short illness and valiant battle with cancer. She was a longtime volunteer in Lubbock. Lee Ruth, an only child, was born in Taylor, Texas, to Albert and Ruth Schroeder on Dec. 14, 1942. She attended Taylor public schools and graduated from Taylor High School. After high school, Lee Ruth attended Rice University in Houston where she graduated in 1965 with a B.A. degree.

She met Dan Krieg, a senior at Texas A&M, and they married in Dec. of 1965. They moved to College Station where Dan was pursuing his PhD. Daughter, Andrea was born in 1970, and a second daughter, Dana, was born in 1972. In 1970, Lee Ruth and Dan moved to Lubbock where Dan became a professor at Texas Tech and Lee Ruth began her long career as a volunteer.

Countless hours were spent volunteering for organizations including Lutheran Social Services where she served as president of the local board; more hours than could ever be imagined were spent organizing fund raisers (the annual Spring Fling) to benefit Neighborhood House, Health for Friends, Wedgewood South Assisted Living, and our local Foster in Texas office. In 2010, she joined the LSS/Upbring Board of Directors and served in that capacity until her death. As a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, Lee Ruth served in many capacities through the years for the Lubbock Area Council. She served as Board Chair for the Caprock Council and was a driving force and founder of the Girl Scouts Women of Distinction event which recognizes local female leaders and their contributions to our community. She herself was honored as a Woman of Distinction first in 1994 and then again in 2013 for her Lifetime of Achievement. She was one of only a few women to receive such an honor twice.

Whether working with the girls directly or serving in strategic roles, Lee Ruth embodied the mission of the Girl Scouts until the very end of her life. The lives she touched can never be measured. Lee Ruth was also president of the Volunteer Network of the Lutheran Home of West Texas and president of the American Lutheran Church Women. For over 17 years, she served as a volunteer for the United Way of Lubbock in a number of strategic areas during the Annual Campaign. She was president of the local chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans as well as a leader in the local Altrusa Club for over 35 years. Even the local PTA saw her involvement as a parent volunteer at her children's schools.

Lee Ruth and Dan were a driving force behind the Bayer Museum of Agriculture's success. She served on the board from 2008 until her death. Lee Ruth and Dan were major donors to the museum's History of Cotton and Ginning exhibit, and she was instrumental in making the museum's fundraiser A Night for the Museum a huge success. No task was too small or detailed if it involved one of her passions. Lee Ruth believed in giving back in every aspect of her life whether it was feeding Dan's graduate students, planting shrubs at the Lutheran Home of West Texas, selling Girl Scout cookies on the street corner, or filling a need when she saw it or learned about it. She knew the rewards of mediation and was a master at volunteering and rounding up volunteers. No task was insurmountable, and she took on new challenges without a second thought.

Dan and Lee Ruth are survived by two daughters: Andrea and Dana, and Dana's husband, Stephane Besson and his three children: Gabrielle, Tristan, and Avery.

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Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Director of Development
806.742.2802

Shelbey Havens
shelbey.havens@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.834.1108