Robert A. Dunbar

DUNBAR Robert A. Dunbar, P.E., age 80, of Upper Arlington, died Friday, March 20, 2009 at his residence with Wanda, his wife of 50 years by his side. He was born September 30, 1928 in Eveleth, Minn., son of the late Robert G. and Ethel (Saari) Dunbar. Robert is also survived by one son, Douglas and daughter-in-law, Susan; grandson, Robert O. Dunbar and twin granddaughters, Christina and Caroline, all of Castle Rock, Colo. He has one niece, Kelley Dunbar (Oscar) Martinez of Center City, Minn; a sister-in-law, Vivian (David) Linden of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and numerous cousins. Robert was the owner/founder of Dunbar Geotechnical Engineers, Columbus from 1960 to 1994. He continued on with the company to perform the Hartman Farm Geology studies. He then became Senior Geotechnical engineer, Vice-President and Director with Bennett & Williams Environmental Consultants, Inc. for four years until 2000. He was a private practice consultant from 2000 until July, 2004 when he retired. Besides his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother, Bruce Dunbar, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated form Eveleth High School in Eveleth, Minnesota in 1946. He served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948 discharged as a Sergeant serving in Japan with the Saga Military Government Team under General Douglas McArthur. Returning to the US, he served in the Army Reserves for two years. Robert graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering in 1954 and his Masters degree in 1958 with an emphasis in transportation, soil mechanics, geology and advanced airphoto interpretation theory. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi National Fraternity at Cornell University. While attending Cornell, he worked for Donald J. Belscher & Assoc., on the landscape of Brasilia, the new capital of Brazil, using an aerial photo interpretation technique the firm developed to assist the U.S. Military determine soil conditions for landing sites during World War II. After graduation from Cornell, he worked with the Hunting Group in Toronto, Canada where he supervised and executed engineering reconnaissance studies and reports through air survey and geological techniques for the purpose of providing preliminary information for the design and construction of major industrial facilities throughout Canada and in parts of South America. He also spent time in Sri Lanka, where he was a Project Engineer for the Canadian Columbo Plan Aerial Survey of Ceylon. In 1958, he was Chief Geological Engineer with Photronix, Inc and Barrett Associated Engineers, Ltd. until beginning his own company in 1960. Robert was a registered professional engineer in Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia and Michigan and previously registered in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana and the Province of Ontario. Robert was involved with many professional memberships including a Fellow and life member of American Society of Civil Engineers; Geological Society of America, Engineering Geology Division; American Concrete Institute, Director of Central Ohio Chapter; American Society for Testing and Materials; National Society of Professional Engineers and Ohio Society of Professional Engineers; American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators; American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Asst. Chairman and Director of Great Lakes Region; American Consulting Engineers Council, trustee and Executive Committee trustee of Columbus Consulting Engineers Assoc. among many others. He was a 50 year member of York Lodge #563 F&AM and Scottish Rite, Valley of Columbus; Columbus Builders Exchange; National Rifle Association; Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association since 1957; Experimental Aircraft Association since 1981; Scioto Boat Club and a longtime member of First Community Church. A real life "Waldo Pepper", Robert owned and piloted several planes such as a Steen Skybolt bi-plane, Cessna 150, and a Grumman Tiger for over 28 years. Among the Columbus landscape, the buildings his company performed the geotechnical services for the foundations include AEP Tower; BancOhio/Ohio National Bank Plaza; Borden Bldg; Buckeye Federal Parking Garage; BWC/IC Office Tower; Capital South Parking Garage and Capital Square Office bldg; Columbus City Center; Columbus Public Library Addition; Federal Office Bldg & Garage; all three of Franklin County Justice Complex bldgs; Grange Insurance; Holiday Inn on Boulevard; both Hyatt Hotels; IBM; Motorists Bldg & Garage; Nationwide Complex I, II & III and both parking garages; Ohio Bell; Ohio Theatre Expansion; One Capital South; Public Employees Retirement System Expansions and Rhodes State Office among many other buildings downtown. In the Franklin County area, some of his building projects included Ackerman Place; Ashland Chemical Complex; Big Bear Stores; Busch Office Buildings; Chemical Abstracts garage; Dublin High School and Elementaries; Fountain Square Office Complex; Gold Circle stores; Griffin Wheel Plant; Hartman Farm Geology studies; IC Rehabilitation Center and Residence Tower; JC Penney Insurance Co. Complex; Methodist Retirement Center; Metro Center III, IV and V; Ohio Historical Center; several at The Ohio State University including The Arthur James Cancer Hospital; Physicians Insurance Co Complex; University Hilton WSYX-TV Antenna Tower and many local restaurants such as Bob Evans, Burger King, McDonald's and White Castle Restaurants. Friends may call 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST CHAPEL, 1740 Zollinger Road and from 10-11 a.m. Thursday at First Community Church, 1320 Cambridge Boulevard, where funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, March 26, 2009. Rev. James Long officiating. Interment to follow at Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to CurePSP (Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), Executive Plaza III, 11350 McCormick Rd., Suite 906, Hunt Valley, Md. 21031, for research, in his memory. Robert suffered with this disease beginning to show signs in July of 2004.