Robert A. Greenkorn

Robert A. Greenkorn, 87

Robert A. Greenkorn, 87 of West Lafayette, IN died Monday, June 13, 2016 at IU Arnett Hospital. He was the son of Frederick J. Greenkorn and Josephine Phillip of Oshkosh, WI. After graduating from Oshkosh High School he joined the U.S. Navy aviator training program. As part of the program he attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison for four semesters. He entered pilot training and then was assigned to a patrol squadron. He flew combat missions during the Korean War and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three air medals. After completing his service, he returned to the University of Wisconsin and completed his BS, MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering.

He joined the Jersey Production Research Company as a research engineer. He also became a lecturer in chemical engineering and mathematics at the University of Tulsa. He joined the department of theoretical and applied mechanics at Marquette University in 1963. He became an associate professor of chemical engineering at Purdue University in 1965 and two years later, professor and Head of chemical engineering.

During his career at Purdue, he held several other positions including Interim Head of Aeronautical Engineering, Associate Dean of Engineering, Vice-President and Associate Provost, Vice-President of the Purdue Research Foundation, Vice-President for Research, Dean of the Graduate School, Special Assistant to the President and Director of the Technical Assistance Program, which he authored. In 1995, he was named the R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering.

Robert was a member of the Board of the Bemis Corporation. He served on a number of boards in his capacity as an officer of Purdue and the Purdue Research Foundation. These included the Executive Planning Committee of the Indiana Economic Development Council, which wrote Indiana's economic development plan, Board of the Argonne University Association, Indiana Institute for New Business Ventures, INventure, a start-up company, member and chairman of the Board of the Midwestern Universities Consortium for International Activities. He was also the Purdue member of the University of Chicago Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratories, and a member of the Engineering Accreditation Commission.

Robert also served on the editorial advisory boards of the journals, Transport in Porous Media and Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data. He was a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Society for Engineering Education, and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union, Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Chemical Society and Sigma Xi. He was a registered Professional Engineer in Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

He is the author or co-author of 6 books and over 150 technical publications. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Citation by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Sagamore of the Wabash by the Indiana governor, and Hall of Fame by the Oshkosh High School. He received two teaching awards—The Shreve Prize and the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Teacher Award.

Robert married Rosemary Drexler in Oshkosh on August 16, 1952. They lived in Madison, WI, Trondheim, Norway, Tulsa, OK and Milwaukee, WI before settling in West Lafayette in 1965. In recent years they lived six months each year in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church and St. Rita Church in Santa Rosa Beach.

He is survived by his wife, son David and wife Dawn of Lebanon, IN, and daughter Susan Rios and husband Jerry of Hoffman Estates, IL, and daughter Nancy Arnett and husband Tim of Lafayette, grandchildren Megan Logsdon, Samuel Greenkorn and Symone Kirk. He was preceded in death by daughter Eileen and a brother Frederick.

Friends will be received from 9:00 am until the time of the Mass at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 18th at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 2224 Sacramento Dr., West Lafayette. Memorial contributions may be made to the Robert A. Greenkorn Endowment for the School of Chemical Engineering. Soller-Baker Funeral Home, West Lafayette Chapel in charge of arrangements. You may sign the guest book and leave memories at www.soller-baker.com.