Ronald Red L. Maier

Ronald L. “Ron” “Red” Maier was born February 12, 1923, in Crandon, WI, to Richard A. & Eva Maier. The family moved to their home town of Valley City, North Dakota, after the birth of his sister, Delphine, in Brillion, WI. Maier’s father left his bakery business during the depression, turning to sales. Red’s education consisted of attending a different school each year, with the exception of his junior and senior high school years. He graduated from Salina High School, Salina, KS, class of ’41, and graduate with honors from American Aeronautical Institute in Kansas City, MO. He obtained an Aircraft and Engine mechanic license from the Civil Aeronautics Administration (now designated the Federal Aviation Administration).

Red worked the early part of WWII for Northwest Airlines in the MATS Division, stationed in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. He returned to the States in 1943 and entered the U.S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic. After cessation of hostilities, he returned to Valley City, ND, and opened a fixed base operation for aircraft maintenance.

Maier moved to Oklahoma City in December, 1948, with his wife and two children. He gained employment to maintain a fleet of aircraft for the late Slim Chambless. His experience caught the attention of the late George Hales, who hired him to maintain his D-18 twin Beech airplane. Maier was a friend of the Hope Biggers who figured prominently as head of the Oklahoma City FAA Center during the fifties.

Red accepted a position as Service Manager for Hales’ Appliance Distributors, working for them several years. He left to join H. Dale Jordan and Gene Byrd to form Auto Air Conditioning Corp. in 1954. The company later reincorporated as Frigiquip Corp. Maier was their design engineer for several models of auto air conditioners, the most famous being the Frigette under-dash model.

Maier was associated with the late Warren Dawkins from 1961 to 1967 in Fleet Air Corp., designing and manufacturing taxicab air conditioners as well as auto air conditioners. During his association with Dawkins, he was co-inventor of several auto air conditioners which were later patented by them.

He returned to Frigiquip Corp. in 1967 as Chief Engineer and later as Vice President, Engineering. In this position, he designed and directed the engineering of several innovative auto air conditioners, including hundreds of in-the-dash models. Maier served two terms as Chairman of the Engineering Division of the International Mobile Air Conditioning Association (IMACA). He was awarded their prestigious Industry Pioneering Award on February 23, 1990.

When Frigiquip Corp. was sold in 1975, he elected to stay in Oklahoma where he joined the late Marvin Joyner in CIBCO International, designing and manufacturing CB antennas, monitoring devices and production machinery. He applied for several design patents for the company.

Maier accepted a position with JASCO Corp. designing, manufacturing and packaging CB antennas and related parts until retiring in 1983.

Red was a joiner. He was accepted as a full member in The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in 1956 and was a charter member and past president of The Oklahoma Radio Kontrol Society (TORKS) which he helped form in 1965. He was an avid flyer of radio controlled model airplanes.

In 1973, he helped form the Central Oklahoma Chapter 63 of the Quarter Century Wireless Association, serving as its first chairman for several years. Maier was a lifelong amateur short wave radio operator, obtaining his first call sign, WØGWG, in 1948, and W5RDE in 1950.

In 1976, Maier entered the show horse business with his wife, Pat. They raised Morgan horses and entered them in many Class A shows. Their show mare, Sooner Lady Lu, won several blue ribbons and was an AMHA Grand Nationals top ten harness mare. He and his wife joined The Sooner State Morgan Horse Assoc. in 1976 where Maier later served as president and publicity director. Red was awarded a Horse Master Certificate for Region 6 of the American Morgan Horse Association. In 1995, he and his wife were honored as lifetime members of the SSMHA and presented with the prestigious Eberline Award of Excellence.

Red’s avocation was to become a writer. Under the tutelage of the late Foster Harris, Maier wrote short stories. He turned to full-time writing in 1987 with his first western novel. Since then, he has written several novels under the tutelage of Mike McQuay, and won many OCWI and OWFI awards for his writing. He published several articles and served as president of Oklahoma City Writers, Inc. for the 1995-1996 term. Maier served three terms as Publicity Director for OWFI (the Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc., a five-state organization). His published novels include: For the Love of Honey, The Enemy Inside, Sonny’s Mother, Asa’s Gold, Native Seeress, Timeshift, Rainey Tuesday, plus several unpublished works.

Maier became a Roman Catholic while serving in the U.S. Navy. He rededicated his life to the Lord in 1985 and has served Him faithfully. Those who served with him are aware of his church and community activities. He was an active member of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Chandler, OK, and a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Delphine; and brother, Richard. He is survived by his wife, Patsy; children: Jacqueline Brandshaw, Sallie Stas, Christie Patric & husband Bill, Patrick Maier & wife Lisa, Susie Adlamini & husband Siamak, Michael Maier & wife Pat, Judy Lynn McAtee & husband Lloyd, Sherri Johnson & husband Larry, and Jack & Linda Shepard; 19 grandchildren; and 13+ great-grandchildren.

A prayer vigil will be 7pm, Tuesday, February 11, at Memorial Park Historic Cemetery Chapel, Oklahoma City. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am, February 12, 2014, at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, Chandler, OK, with interment to follow at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Cemetery.