Dr. Ing. Widen TABAKOFF

TABAKOFF

Dr. Ing. Widen Tabakoff
December 14, 1919 - June 6, 2015.

Dr. Ing. Widen Tabakoff., age 95, passed away from pneumonia on Saturday, June 6, 2015, in his home. He was the beloved husband of the late Gunhilde Rombusch Tabakoff and loving father of Irina B. Kegg and Felicitas L. Singer. In addition he is survived by sons-in -law, John Kegg and Tom Singer; three grandchildren, Laurie Dyer, Sophia Singer, and Jason Singer; and one great grandson, Jack Dyer. A burial memorial service will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery, 11200 Princeton Pike, on July 11, at one o'clock. There will be a reception following the burial service in the Gwen Mooney Funeral Home, 11285 Princeton Pike, Cincinnati OH 45246. Born in Starkevzi, Bulgaria, Dr. Tabakoff was learning and reading at an early age. His parents noticed his keen intelligence and drive for knowledge and enrolled him in a private school in Vidin, Bulgaria. He received his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering in Prague, Czechoslovakia, the first of three engineering degrees. He completed his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering in Berlin, Germany in 1945. In 1957, the U.S. Army invited him to join the Rocket Research Group led by Wernher von Braun, world's leading rocket pioneer, in Huntsville AL. After this assignment, he joined the University of Cincinnati as professor in Aerospace Engineering. The Aerospace program at the University of Cincinnati soared under the leadership of Dr. Tabakoff. He established a strong externally-funded research program that still continues today, and as head of U.C's Center of Excellence in Propulsion, he also secured millions of federal funding and built the propulsion and gas dynamics laboratories and infrastructure. Through his collaboration with colleagues in astronomy, mathematics and physics, graduate studies in aerospace engineering were established. Dr. Tabakoff is internationally known for his work in jet propulsion and for uncovering the causes of erosion and damage to turbo machinery. A dedication in his honor is on view at the entrance of the lab in Rhodes Hall at U.C. This memorial displays his accomplishments, and is known as the Widen Tabakoff Propulsion Lab. He was a publisher of over 400 journal publications, featured speaker at meetings all over the world, and technical advisor to NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy , U.S. DoE, NSF and many industries. Dr. Tabakoff is a Fellow of AIAA, ASME and a Graduate Fellow of the University of Cincinnati. He was a member of American Men of Science, Who's Who in America, Two Thousand Men of Achievement (International) Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi, and International Biographies. Never wanting to retire, he finally slowed down at age 90. His passion was his research and career. Students remember his encouragement and enthusiasm and have kept in touch with him from all parts of the world even after their own retirement . In lieu of flowers, the family requests that tax deductible donations be made to benefit the Aerospace Engineering Program at the University of Cincinnati. Please make checks payable to the U.C. Foundation in Memory of Widen Tabakoff, University of Cincinnati Foundation, P.O. Box 19970, Cincinnati, OH 45219-0970

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