Engineer at Dana liked challenge, was active in community

10/22/2006

Myron M. Schall, 90, a Dana Corp. chief engineer who worked to improve automatic transmissions on buses and fire engines, died Thursday in his West Toledo home from cancer complications.

He was a master duplicate bridge player and, "until two months ago, he was in bridge tournaments and driving his car," his daughter, Janie Schall, said.

Mr. Schall, formerly of Orchard Trail, was a Dana employee for 42 years, retiring in 1979.

Through promotions, he became a chief engineer and worked at Dana's Bennett Road technology center. He worked on heavy-duty automatic transmission projects, and he supervised other engineers, former colleague Clair Dibert said.

"He was kind of my mentor when I started work [as a Dana engineer]," Mr. Dibert, a 1986 Dana retiree, said. "I got my basic introduction into engineering and manufacturing through Myron. He was a dedicated, solid engineer."

Mr. Schall, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, liked "solving problems and [to] find out new ways of doing things," his son, Clifford Schall, said. He said several patents resulted from his father's work.

"He was very serious about his work and very serious about raising his kids - and very much a practical joker," his son said.

Mr. Schall was president of his senior class at Woodward High School and received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toledo. He was involved in the Iota Nu fraternity for more than 60 years.

He was a founder and president of the former Twin Oaks Country Club.

He was a former president of Congregation B'nai Israel.

Surviving are his wife, Florence, whom he married March 11, 1942; son, Clifford Schall; daughter, Janie Schall; sister, Dorothy Schwartz; brother, Harry Schall, and two granddaughters.

Services will be at 11 a.m. today in the Robert H. Wick/Wisniewski Funeral Home.

The family suggests tributes to the Hospice of Northwest Ohio.