Viktor Wenzel Pleil

Viktor Wenzel Pleil, 88, of Surf City, NC died Thursday, January 27, 2011 at the Durham Regional Hospital in Durham, NC following complications from pneumonia. Viktor was born oneeptember 11, 1922 and raised in Komotau, Germany. He attended the Uneersity of Erlangen and received undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mathematics and Physics. He married the love of his life, Ruth Bohm, in 1953. They and their three soneemigrated from Germany to Connecticut in 1963, where they made life-long friends. In 1969 the family moved to Illinois. Viktor spent his working career developing medical x-ray tubes and CT scanners for which he received a series of patents. He retired as the head of Research and Development for Picker-Dunee Corporation in Illinois, a major worldwide manufacturer of hospital x-ray equipment. Uponeetirement in 1987, Viktor and Ruth Opa and Omi moved to Durham, NC to be near their first grandchildren, Maureen and Kristen. In 1995, they built a house in Surf City, NC and fulfilled their dream of living at the beach. Viktor leaves behind a sister, Wilma Kilian ineermany, and three sons and their families: Matthias and wife Oriana, grandchildren Gabriel and Tatiana in Albuquerque, NM; Aneeas and wife Mary, grandson Jonathan in San Diego, CA; and Joachim and wife Catherine, granddaughters Kristen and husband Carl, Maureen and husband Ryan, and great-grandson Dylan, all in Durham, NC. His wife of 50 years, Ruth Pleil, preceded him ineeath. A memorial mass of the resurrection will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill St., in Durham, NC on Saturday, February 5th at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to Durham Interfaith Hospitality Network, an emergency shelter for families, 1216 N. Roxboro St., Durham, NC 27701, www.dihn.org On-line memorials: www.hallwynne.com. Select obituaries.