Dr. Dean Vincent Armbrust died September 9, 2024, in Topeka, at the Stormont-Vail Health Center.
He was born May 13, 1938, in Ellsworth, KS to Arthur J. Armbrust and Olga Caroline Sophia Pflughoeft Armbrust. Dean received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Agronomy from Kansas State in 1961 and a Master’s in Agronomy in 1962. He was a member of the Farmhouse Fraternity while attending Kansas State. Dean received his Doctorate Degree from Kansas State University in 1973 in Agronomy with a Major in Soils and a Minor in Biochemistry. He retired in 2001 after 42 years as a Soil Scientist for the U.S.D.A.
Dean married Alice May Hunton, in June of 1961, at First Presbyterian Church in Salina, KS. They were married 63 years.
Dean was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Arthur John Armbrust.
Dean is survived by his wife, Alice May Armbrust, of Manhattan, KS, his two sons:, Arthur Paul Armbrust of Kansas City, Andrew Dean Armbrust (Ginger), of Salina, KS, four grandchildren: Alexander Paul Armbrust ( Brooke) of Shawnee, KS, Andrew Peter Armbrust (Jessica) of Shawnee, KS, Paul Christopher Armbrust of Wichita, KS and Iliana Elizabeth Armbrust of Salina, KS; his sister, Carol Ann Fey (Alan) of Marietta, GA; and his many nieces and nephews.
He was a past Mason, member of First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Zeta. He regularly attended the Retired Agronomists Coffee and Presbyterian Men’s Bible Study.
Dean was an accomplished woodworker making many pieces of furniture for his son’s and grandchildren’s homes. He taught Sunday School for various Presbyterian churches for 54 years. He was a volunteer at Manhattan Breadbasket, where in 2014, he received the Dorothy McCutcheon Volunteer Award. He also volunteered as a counselor at Shepard’s Crossing for 20 years and the Presbyterian Food Pantry. He also served as the Cub Master for Troop 284 for many years. He loved to read, do lawn work, and attend his grandchildren’s activities.
Memorial Services for Mr. Armbrust will be at the First Presbyterian Church, 801 Leavenworth in Manhattan, on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. Services will be livestreamed through the church YouTube page (YouTube/@firstpresmanhattan/streams).