MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Merle Shogren, a noted grain and milling researcher, died Oct. 7 at the Bethany Home in Lindsborg, Kansas, U.S. He was 89 years old.

Shogren was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service Winter Wheat Quality Laboratory from 1954 to 2000. After retirement he remained active as a consultant to the Grain Quality Structure Research Unit, Engineering Research Unit, and Hard Winter Wheat Laboratory.

During his career, Shogren was active with wheat breeders to improve hard winter wheat quality by testing and end-use quality baking, and he also was the chief baker and dough rheology expert for the Hard Winter Wheat Quality Lab. He co-authored annual reports that were distributed throughout the hard winter wheat community for improving wheat quality. He also had 117 professional publications in peer-revised journals during his career.

Survivors include his step-children, Patricia “Tish” Collins (Todd), Jeff Hartigan (Patti), Greg Gilman (Freida); five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, two brothers, a sister-in-law, and 16 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilee; his brother, J Glen Shogren; sisters Marian Richardson (Rusty), Martha Lee Gillihan (Ralph), Arcel Ireland (Max); and his step-son, Jim Hartigan.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Kansas Honor Flight-Wamego High School or to the Kindred Hospice Care of McPherson. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.