Paul W. Mielke, Jr. (PhD ’63), died on April 20, 2019 in Fort Collins, CO, where he had lived since 1963. Mielke was born in St. Paul, MN, on February 18, 1931. He received a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota in 1953 and served for four years as a meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force. Mielke subsequently received a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Arizona and in 1963 received a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Minnesota. He joined the Department of Mathematics/Statistics/Computer at Colorado State University in early 1964 and taught statistics there until his retirement as a professor emeritus in 2002. Mielke continued to co-author several books and hundreds of scientific papers.

Mielke’s favorite activities included times with his family, playing bridge with friends, singing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and especially, hiking in Switzerland every summer with friends, family, and cows.

Mielke is survived by his wife of almost 59 years, Roberta (Bobbie) Robison Mielke, children William (Lisa) Mielke of Minneapolis, Emily (Stanten) Spear) of St. Paul, Lynn (Nicholas) Basila of Nashua, NH; grandchildren John, Brian and Alexander Spear, Kayla Marie and Rayna Mielke, Elena Basila; sisters Jeanette Gerritz and the late Elaine Wolman, brother Howard Mielke. A private family service will be held this summer in Minnesota.