Robert William Paterson

Robert William Paterson, 63, died Thursday (August 15, 2002) at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA. Born in Newark, NJ, January 19, 1939, Bob was the son of the late Archibald and Lila (Stoeckel) Paterson. He graduated from Newark Academy (1956) and Princeton University Class of 1960 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation he entered the U.S. Navy's Nuclear Reactor and Propulsion Division under Admiral Hyman Rickover. In 1969 he received a Ph.D in Fluid Dynamics from Harvard University and began a career at the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) in East Hartford. Bob served in various capacities at UTRC generally in the areas of gas and aerodynamics and aeroacoustics, most recently as Assistant Director of Research for Fluid Mechanics. Over the course of his career he was awarded over a dozen patents, published numerous articles in academic journals and mentored many younger researchers. Bob retired in 1996, affording more time for his two primary recreational interests, sailing and tennis; he also continued to consult in his field. Bob resided in Simsbury, and Bayville, ME. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Joyce M. (Pero) Paterson; son, Robert Jr. and daughter-in-law, Kate M. (Swenson) of Portsmouth, NH. A private memorial service for family members will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to St. Andrews Hospital in Boothbay Harbor, ME, the Boothbay Region YMCA or the Boothbay Region Land Trust.