Comparin, Robert Anton
Robert Anton Comparin, 87, passed away on Monday, November 16, 2015. He was born in Hurley, WI on July 25, 1928, to the late Anton and Evelyn Comparin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Kenneth and Dean.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ida Comparin, children, Robert (Leesa), Thomas (Carol), James (Rhonda), Evelyn (Lee), Nancy (Rick) and 8 grandchildren: Arianne, Virginia, Benjamin, Blake, Jacob, Joseph, Joshua and William, and his brother Anthony (Patricia).
Upon graduation from St. Ambrose High School in 1946, he joined the U.S. Army Air Force where he served until 1949. While in the service, Bob had the opportunity to work in the incredible Alaskan countryside
After leaving the service, Bob took advantage of the GI Bill to attend Purdue University from 1949-1960, where he obtained a BS, MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. From 1954-1960 he was an instructor in addition to being a student at Purdue. On August 4, 1956, he married Ida Masone, a librarian at Purdue.
Upon graduating from Purdue with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in January 1960, he accepted a position, as staff engineer, with IBM in Endicott, NY. In 1961, Bob, Ida, and their young children traveled to Zurich, Switzerland where Bob continued to work for IBM.
In 1962, upon returning to the United States, Bob returned to teaching accepting a position at the University of Maine.
In 1964, Bob began his long career with Virginia Tech when he accepted a position as Professor of Mechanical Engineer.
After 10 years in Blacksburg, the family moved again in July 1974, when Bob accepted a position as Department Chairman of Mechanical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Three years later, Bob became the Dean of Engineering at Cleveland State University.
In 1983, Bob and Ida returned to Blacksburg, when Bob became the Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Virginia Tech.
Throughout his long career, Bob championed his faculty and his students. He was instrumental in the creation and support of hands-on student based programs. He was especially passionate about cars and created the original “Car Factory” at Virginia Tech (now known as the Joseph F. Ware, Jr. Advanced Engineering Lab). Bob also served as the faculty advisor to the Formulae SAE and co-taught an innovative, multidisciplinary course on car culture with renowned professor and author Marshall Fishwick.
Bob retired in 1993 to pursue his love of the outdoors and travel. A lifelong hunter and fisherman, Bob was also a founding member of the Shawnee Hunt Club and a gun safety instructor.
Our family would like to give special thanks to the wonderful staff of the Willows within the Kroontje Health Care Center and the Medi Home Health & Hospice team for their loving care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, 445 Goodwin Hall, 635 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, SW, Blacksburg, VA.