Robert William Roberts

Dr. Robert William Roberts, Ph.D. F.A.I.Ch.E., 89, died October 8, 2012.

He was born in Riverside, Ill. on July 24, 1923 as the eldest son of Orville W. and Lucy E. Roberts and is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marilyn Helen Roberts; and daughter, Lynn Ellyn Whisler (Bob) of Littlerock, Calif.; and sons, William Allyn Roberts, MD (Carol) of Fairhope, Ala. and Robert Frederick Roberts, DVM (Jane) of Bath, Ohio; and nine fantastic grandchildren, Kimberly and Brian Whisler, Sarah, Daniel, Samuel and Hannah Roberts, Katherine, Benjamin and John Roberts; and seven great-grandchildren.

Dr. Roberts received his B.S.Ch.E. at Washington University (St. Louis) in 1948, and his MS and Ph.D degrees at the University of Iowa in 1960 and 1962. He has worked for Alcoa, W.R. Grace, Dayco and Hercules Powder Company in various production and research positions in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Maryland. After joining the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1966 as an Associate Professor at the University of Akron, he served as Professor and was the Department Head from 1969 to 1976. In 1979, while on leave, he served as the Head of the Plastics Engineering School for the Algerian Institute of Petroleum near Algiers. Retirement came in 1988, but he continued to teach part-time until 1996 and maintained his interest in chemical engineering education until his passing.

Besides a listing in the Who's Who of Engineering, he was also elected Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and has contributed to that organization on the National and local levels. He has also been a member of the B.P.O.E., the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce, Phi Delta Theta, Alpha Chi Sigma, Tau Beta Pi, Phi Lambda Upsilon and is a Life Member of Sigma Xi.

He and his wife, Marilyn, have traveled extensively throughout the world. His wanderlust started with his duties as a Communications Officer in the USAAF during World War II. There, his assignments took him to virtually every installation of the Army Airways Communication System in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Since then he has visited over 80 countries and in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and Antarctica. As a former Airstreamer, he and his family have trailered in almost every state and almost all of the provinces of Canada.

Dr. Roberts was proud of his life-long activities with the Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout. He enjoyed cooking, music and all manner of sports, especially football, baseball, swimming and hiking. He was a founding member of the St. Hilary School Board.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. FRIDAY at St. Hilary Catholic Church, 2750 W. Market St. in Fairlawn, Ohio and will be followed by interment at Rose Hill Burial Park. Friends may call at Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Road on THURSDAY from 4 to 7 p.m. Remembrances may be directed to the Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3906.

(Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)