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Reinhard Radermacher Obituary
Reinhard was a loving husband, father, and mentor with a professional network spanning the globe. Reinhard was born and educated in Germany, earning a Ph.D. in Physics at the Technical University of Munich in 1981. Reinhard came to the United States as a visiting scientist and NATO scholar at the National Institute of Standards and Technology before joining the University of Maryland faculty in 1983.
Reinhard was Minta Martin Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) at the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering. He was an expert in energy conversion systems, specializing in heat pumps and broader HVAC and refrigeration technology. Reinhard co-founded three companies, which work with industry partners to transition to environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems.
Reinhard's legacy includes hundreds of former and current graduate students and colleagues who attribute much of their success to Reinhard's mentorship. His work generated 17 patents, 200 invention records, four books, and more than 600 publications. Reinhard's career-long citations rank in the top 2% worldwide. In addition to being an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Fellow, he received numerous awards including the J&E Hall Gold medal from the Institute of Refrigeration and the IIR Gustav Lorentzen Medal for his innovation in the field of refrigeration.
Reinhard is survived by his wife, Paula Jean Hallberg; three children: Astrid Scheerer (Dan Scheerer), Axel Radermacher (Kassie Radermacher); and Karen Radermacher (Stephen Sugg); and five grandchildren: Emmett Sugg, Anja Sugg, Ty Sugg, Beckham Scheerer and Annabelle Scheerer. Reinhard is also survived by his brother, Hubertus Radermacher, and his first wife, Ursula Nottnagel.
Reinhard resided in Montgomery County since 1981, and in West Virginia's Canaan Valley, where he and Paula have lived part-time for two decades. Reinhard enjoyed traveling with his wife Paula. He was an adept woodworker and liked nothing more than being in nature. A loving and active grandfather, Reinhard was skiing and hiking with his children and grandchildren just weeks before his death.
The family is planning a memorial service, details forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Dr. Reinhard Radermacher Distinguished Graduate Endowed Fellowship for Energy Innovation in Mechanical Engineering or the Division of Student Affairs Crisis Fund (https://giving.umd.edu/campaigns/bespoke/radermacher) or So Others May Eat (www.some.org) in memory of Reinhard.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Reinhard Radermacher
Alan Levin
April 4, 2025
My wife, Susan, and I have enjoyed a beautiful friendship with Paula and Reinhard these past 30 years. Shock, disbelief, sadness; these words do not adequately describe our feelings the day Paula phoned us to tell us the news of Reinhard's passing.
To us, Reinhard was a kind, gentle, funny, fun-loving soul. He and Paula were so great together, playing off each other in such funny and good-natured ways. And, having met their children, we can safely say he was a first-class Dad!
Our hearts and deep sympathy go out to Paula, their children, his circle of friends, and to his academic community.
Sincerely,
Susan & Alan Levin
Philadelphia, PA
Irmengard (schoolday friend from Munich)
March 11, 2025
Rest in peace, Reinhard!
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
The Munich Friends
March 5, 2025
Rest in peace, Reinhard
His Munich Red Cross Friends
March 5, 2025
It was with deep dismay and sadness that we, the former friends of the Munich Red Cross, learned of the sudden death of our long-time friend Reinhard. It is unbelievable that he is no longer with us.
For many years we were able to experience his friendship and his tireless commitment to the Bavarian Red Cross. His more than ten years of leadership as deputy column leader were characterized by commitment, a sense of social responsibility and unshakable loyalty. He was a person you could always rely on, a good friend and a role model for all of us.
His expertise, his friendliness and his reliability made him an irreplaceable member of our community. We will always honor his memory.
In these difficult times, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. We wish them strength and comfort in this time of grief.
We will all remember him.
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Wiedemann
March 3, 2025
I knew him from very early on in Munich during our both service in the Bavarian Red Cross in Munich, Germany. Very sad that such a kind man had to go much too early and very unexpected. I would like to give my condolences to his family and friends. He will be missed greatly.
Rest in peace, Reinhard.
Georg
Joy Edwards
February 17, 2025
It was a great honor to work for the company that Dr. Radermacher created. His visits to OTS will always be a fond memory for me. His kindness and conversations will not be forgotten.
Jeanne odom
February 13, 2025
Paula,
So sorry for your tragic and sudden loss. We knew Reinhard was a special person but had no idea he was so accomplished in his field. I wish we had gotten to know him better. Our thoughts are with you in this difficult time.
Jeanne and Jim Odom
Randy Weaver
February 10, 2025
I offer my heart-felt condolences to the Dr. Radermacher's family. I knew him through the CEEE MOC Consortium. During those meetings, he was a most pleasant and gracious host and took time to listen to my ideas. No doubt his colleagues saw him more as family than teacher. Having just lost my father somewhat suddenly Feb 1, my deepest condolences to you and God's peace for the coming days and beyond.
Zhaogang Qi
February 9, 2025
It has been an honor to start my academic career under the supervision of Dr. Radermacher as a postdoctoral researcher in CEEE from 2008-2009. I still remember that he gave me a book as a goodbye gift which taught me how to work efficiently. I cherish this kindness and helping for all my life.
Dr. Radermacher was a great ambassador between China and USA in air conditioning and refrigeration field. All the Chinese students and scholars who cooperated or were mentored will remember forever and will continue the academic exchanges.
Rest in peace, Dr. Radermacher.
Zhenyuan Mei
February 7, 2025
It has been an honor to be Dr. Radermacher's student. When he welcomed me into CEEE, it felt like a beacon of light in a dark moment. He was the one who opened the doors of academia to me and inspired me to work on the HVAC. As I move forward, I will continue to follow his footsteps. Rest in peace, Professor.
evren bayoglu
February 5, 2025
My dear be loved Dr. Radermacher, you are the kindest person I have ever met. I am proud be your master student. You will be missed and I am still in shock to receive this news, I am very sad, rest in peace, I would like to give my condolences to your family and friends.
Dylan Hazelwood
February 5, 2025
From the time that I first met him in 1998, Dr. Radermacher was a kind, passionate, intelligent and successful person who never tired of my simplistic questions when we met in the hallway or at Department events. I will very much miss his presence here in Mechanical Engineering, and my deepest condolences to his family and friends. He was truly a wonderful person and his time here was a gift to us all.
Zhenning Li
February 5, 2025
It is my greatest honor of life to be his student. He is the reason I am who I am and where I am. He taught me how to be a good researcher and a good human being. I will always miss you, my dearest mentor!
Keith Herold
February 4, 2025
I joined the University of Maryland to collaborate with Reinhard in 1987. He had a dynamic mind and a seemingly endless energy. We worked closely for many years and his passing is a deep personal loss. My condolences to Paula and the kids at this sad time.
We spent countless hours together over many years but one memory sticks in my mind as an iconic memory of our time together. We went camping on the beach at Assateague after a semester ended. The weather was cold and the wind was blowing continuously and hard. But the sun was bright during the day and we both noticed that our heavy coats provided no comfort from the cold because they blocked the comfort of the sun on our skin. We talked about that during that weekend and then we returned to the topic many times over the ensuing years. Reinhard was relentless and effective at using observations from experience as components of his next proposal. It was part of his nature and a very admirable quality that I always enjoyed. One of many such qualities.
With affection and appreciation for our friendship,
Keith E. Herold
Jurgen Pannock, Ph.D.
February 4, 2025
To all of you that knew and loved Prof. Radermacher, my sincere and heartfelt condolences, especially to his loving family!
Let Reinhard´s sudden and unexpected death be a reminder to all of us that life is far too short and much more than a job but rather a continuous pursuit of one´s ideals, passions, and aspirations. Reinhard was able to do that to the fullest and live a life rewarded with many achievements in his personal life, in academia, and in business. A life which ended far too soon to allow him to accomplish all he had set out to do! He will be missed greatly.
In loving memory,
Linda and Jurgen Pannock
Daniel Pannock
Markus Pannock
Ahmed Elatar
February 4, 2025
It is deeply saddening to hear this news. Although I had limited interactions with Dr. Radermacher, I continue to cherish those moments and his humble, sweet personality. I still take pride in the fact that Dr. Radermacher interviewed me for a PhD scholarship in 2007 while I was in Egypt and personally informed me that I would be joining his group. However, the 2008 financial crisis disrupted the entire plan. I cannot imagine how this might have changed my professional career. Nevertheless, his legacy will live on for a long time, inspiring and guiding many.
Billy Liu
February 3, 2025
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
RIP
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