Dr. Roger A. Broucke

Family-Placed Obituary



Dr. Roger A. Broucke Dr. Roger A. Broucke, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas, passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2005. Dr. Broucke was born on March 25, 1932, in Furnes, Belgium. From an early age he demonstrated great interest in mathematics and was sent to boarding school to study the sciences. In 1957, he received his Master of Science Degree at the University of Louvain, Belgium, where he studied under Professor George LeMaitre, originator of the Big Bang Theory of the expansion of the universe. In 1958, he entered mandatory service in the Belgian Army and was stationed in Germany. In 1960, he married his devoted friend, Ludgarde. They shared a lifelong passion for learning and scientific discovery, which they passed on to their children. In the early years of their marriage they spent many hours together plotting out planetary and theoretical orbits. In 1963, Dr. Broucke received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Louvain in Belgium. That same year he was invited to join the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California as a Senior Research Engineer. For the next 13 years he was an integral part of NASA's space flight programs. A pinnacle moment in his life occurred on July 20, 1969, when, as a result of years of scientific and mathematical research, man first walked on the moon. During these years, some of Dr. Broucke's happiest hours were spent mentoring graduate students at Caltech and UCLA. His love of teaching and a desire for more autonomy in his research pursuits led him to accept a teaching position at the University of Texas, Department of Engineering, in 1976. For the next 23 years until his retirement in 1999, he taught many classes and lectured on celestial mechanics and satellite theory at conferences and universities around the world. Dr. Broucke was a member of many national and international scientific societies. In 2002, he received the Dirk Brouwer Award for his significant and numerous contributions in the theory of dynamical systems and space flight mechanics. His many other interests included the mastery of foreign languages (he learned Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese), oil painting, classical music, the Human Genome Project. He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Ludgarde; daughter, Ingrid Broucke, M.D.; son-in-law, Daniel Keleti, M.D. of Kansas City; daughter, Mireille Broucke, Ph.D. of Toronto, Canada; beloved grandchildren, Isabel, Alexandra and Michael Keleti; sister, Antoinette Broucke; brother, Willy Broucke and numerous in- laws, nieces and nephews. The Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 24, 2005, at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 25, 2005, at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Dr. Austin, TX 78731 with Father Jim Robertson, Celebrant. Committal will follow at Austin Memorial Park. A reception will be held after committal services in the Parish Hall. The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Sandbach, Dr. Nuesch, Dr. Raley, Lisa Painter, R.N., and all caregivers of Hospice Austin and devoted friends for their love and support. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in honor of Dr. Roger Broucke to the American Cancer Society or the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.