Martin "Bob" Schlesinger

SCHLESINGER
MARTIN "BOB"
Age 91, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on January 15, 2006. Born in Manhattan in 1914, he was the son of Joseph and Katherine Schlesinger. His father owned a hardware store in the Bronx back when it was a farming community, and later was a very successful real estate investor. The family lost everything in the Depression. He graduated from New York University and the University of Tulsa, with a Masters in Chemical Engineering. With his family, he came to Pittsburgh in 1948 and worked for the U.S. Bureau of Mines for 37 years. His work was varied and far-reaching ? the team worked on several mine safety issues, organic fuels research and pollution control research. In the 1950s, he and his team would bring the household garbage into work and they experimented converting it to crude oil and natural gas. After his retirement from the Bureau of Mines in 1972, he went to work for UNESCO and traveled the world assessing the energy capabilities of developing nations. He worked with teams of geologists ? and he made friends all over the world. He was a humanist as well as a scientist. He was open and accepting of everyone and loved immersing himself in cultures. He married Janet B. Katz in 1945 and they were very happily married until she died in September 2004. They traveled together and had a very dynamic life. His big passion was amateur radio ? a hobby he had his entire life. Since the 1960s he was active with Navy MARS (Military Affiliate Radio Network), relaying messages from soldiers around the world to their families in Western PA. He helped to establish the Ham Radio Center at the Allegheny County 911 Center and went out on many snowy nights to staff the center during emergencies. November 7, 2005 was "Bob Schlesinger Day" in the City of Pittsburgh, and his nickname was the "Mayor of Wallingford Street." He received that honor for more than 6 decades of community service. He was President of Shadyside Action Coalition for several years and served as the Public Safety Liaison. He was a regular contributor to Shady Avenue Magazine on public safety issues and was Judge of Elections for 40 years. He had three children, Jo Schlesinger (Allan) of Edgewood, Michael Schlesinger (Laura) of Carmichaels and Deborah Knox of Shadyside, and six grandchildren, Noah, Jacob, Zoe, Hannah, Mollye and Ken.He loved music, theater and art. He was a gentle and patient father and grandfather, and surrogate father for dozens of others. The Schlesinger house was a welcoming home always filled with sharp intellectual discourse, classical music, Scrabble games and good food, which he cooked. His home and garden were monuments to recycling and innovation. He could fix anything. He was passionate about world and US politics, and worried about the environment and population control around the world. He always helped people find the best in themselves. He was graceful in life and through his decline. He will be missed by all. A memorial service will held in the future. Memorial contributions can be made to Congregation Dor Hadash, P.O. Box 8223, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or WQED-FM, 4802 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Arrangements made by STEPHEN M. BRADY FUNERAL HOME, 412-321-0495.
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