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Roll Call Tribute
Robert Schechter '50 October 10, 2014 8:43 AM
Published in Austin American-Statesman from Oct. 10 to Oct. 11, 2014
Robert Samuel SCHECHTER(1929 - 2014)
SCHECHTER, Robert
Robert Samuel (Bob) Schechter, aged 85, passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, surrounded by the family he loved, and that adored him. Born on February 26, 1929, to Helen (Brilling) and Morris S. Schechter, he was reared in Rosenberg, Texas. Inspired by his high school chemistry teacher, Schechter decided to become a chemical engineer. He graduated from Texas A & M University in 1950 with a B.S.Ch.E. and, upon graduation, began his doctoral program at the University of Minnesota. The onset of the Korean War drew Schechter into the U.S. Army's Chemical Corps. While stationed at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama, he met and in 1953 married his beloved partner in life, Mary Ethel Schechter. Upon his discharge as First Lieutenant, they returned to Minnesota, where he completed his doctoral program in 1956. Schechter came to Austin to teach Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas, and remained for his entire 41-year academic career. Midway through his tenure he changed departments, recruited to join what was then the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Respected by his colleagues for his intellect and integrity, he was one of the few professors in the history of the university selected to chair two different departments of engineering.
Dr. Schechter was a prolific scholar. He authored five books, several book chapters and over 200 articles, and served on the editorial boards of numerous publications. He freely shared his research and ideas with colleagues and continued to assist them in developing proposals for research and grants until shortly before his death. His creativity and scientific contributions earned him election into the National Academy of Engineering, the Chevalier of the Order of the Palmes Academiques from the Prime Minister of France, the first Billy and Claude R. Hocott Distinguished Engineering Research Award (1984), the Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award (1991), the John Franklin Carll Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (1994), and designation as one of the Journal of Petroleum Technology's Legends of Production and Operation (2009). In November he will be the only non-alumnus ever to be honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Texas's Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering.
Above all, Robert Schechter was a teacher par excellence. From working with graduate students on the abstractions of thermodynamics to tutoring his children in the intricacies of simple mathematics, Schechter loved his students and the teaching profession. His teaching skills earned renown and recognition including multiple departmental awards for teaching excellence and the General Dynamics Award for Teaching Excellence as the outstanding professor in the College of Engineering (1987).
Robert often attributed his success to his wife, Mary Ethel, to whom he was married for 57 years, until her death in 2010. Robert and Mary Ethel settled in Austin in 1956 and reared three boys, Richard, Larry (of blessed memory) and Geoffrey. Aside from their many friends, they shared a loving family life with Robert's two brothers, Joe and Arthur, who were his lifetime best friends; he considered their wives, Joyce G. Schechter and Joyce P. Schechter, to be sisters. His 4 grandchildren, Lillie, Chris, Aimee, and Ruby, along with his 5 nieces and nephews and their spouses,11 grand-nieces and nephews, and countless cousins always brought joy and smiles to his life. With his eye for wonder, insatiable curiosity, and love of nature, he used his abilities to ask great questions and to entertain interesting discussions until the final few days of his life. His presence will be profoundly missed.
Predeceased by his wife and partner in life, Mary Ethel, and his son Larry, Schechter is survived by two sons, Richard of Houston, and his former wife Sue Schechter of Chappell Hill, and Geoffrey and his wife Tina Hoffman of Lexington. MA., four grandchildren, Lillie, Chris, Aimee and Ruby, his brothers and their wives, Joe and Joyce Schechter of Austin and Arthur and Joyce Schechter of Houston, 5 beloved nieces and nephews, 11 grandnieces and nephews and countless cousins of all stripes. They will miss his piercing blue eyes, kindness, enduring patience, love of children and wry sense of humor.
The family wishes to thank his wonderful caregivers, Behigno Serrano, Gabriel and Caroline Igharoro and Barbara Speller, for their love and friendship these past years, and those at the Heart Hospital of Austin who worked so tirelessly in his final days.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, October 10th, at 2:00 p.m. at Capital Parks Cemetery, 14501 North IH-35 in Pflugerville.
The family requests that any contributions be made to the Dr. Robert Schechter Scholarship Fund, c/o The Cockrell School of Engineering, ATTN: Dean Clement, The University of Texas at Austin, 301 E. Dean Keeton C2104, Austin, TX 78712 or The Alan Lawrence Schechter Fund at Congregation Beth Israel, 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas 78756.
Obituary and guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com
Robert Samuel SCHECHTER(1929 - 2014)
SCHECHTER, Robert
Robert Samuel (Bob) Schechter, aged 85, passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, surrounded by the family he loved, and that adored him. Born on February 26, 1929, to Helen (Brilling) and Morris S. Schechter, he was reared in Rosenberg, Texas. Inspired by his high school chemistry teacher, Schechter decided to become a chemical engineer. He graduated from Texas A & M University in 1950 with a B.S.Ch.E. and, upon graduation, began his doctoral program at the University of Minnesota. The onset of the Korean War drew Schechter into the U.S. Army's Chemical Corps. While stationed at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama, he met and in 1953 married his beloved partner in life, Mary Ethel Schechter. Upon his discharge as First Lieutenant, they returned to Minnesota, where he completed his doctoral program in 1956. Schechter came to Austin to teach Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas, and remained for his entire 41-year academic career. Midway through his tenure he changed departments, recruited to join what was then the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Respected by his colleagues for his intellect and integrity, he was one of the few professors in the history of the university selected to chair two different departments of engineering.
Dr. Schechter was a prolific scholar. He authored five books, several book chapters and over 200 articles, and served on the editorial boards of numerous publications. He freely shared his research and ideas with colleagues and continued to assist them in developing proposals for research and grants until shortly before his death. His creativity and scientific contributions earned him election into the National Academy of Engineering, the Chevalier of the Order of the Palmes Academiques from the Prime Minister of France, the first Billy and Claude R. Hocott Distinguished Engineering Research Award (1984), the Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award (1991), the John Franklin Carll Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (1994), and designation as one of the Journal of Petroleum Technology's Legends of Production and Operation (2009). In November he will be the only non-alumnus ever to be honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Texas's Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering.
Above all, Robert Schechter was a teacher par excellence. From working with graduate students on the abstractions of thermodynamics to tutoring his children in the intricacies of simple mathematics, Schechter loved his students and the teaching profession. His teaching skills earned renown and recognition including multiple departmental awards for teaching excellence and the General Dynamics Award for Teaching Excellence as the outstanding professor in the College of Engineering (1987).
Robert often attributed his success to his wife, Mary Ethel, to whom he was married for 57 years, until her death in 2010. Robert and Mary Ethel settled in Austin in 1956 and reared three boys, Richard, Larry (of blessed memory) and Geoffrey. Aside from their many friends, they shared a loving family life with Robert's two brothers, Joe and Arthur, who were his lifetime best friends; he considered their wives, Joyce G. Schechter and Joyce P. Schechter, to be sisters. His 4 grandchildren, Lillie, Chris, Aimee, and Ruby, along with his 5 nieces and nephews and their spouses,11 grand-nieces and nephews, and countless cousins always brought joy and smiles to his life. With his eye for wonder, insatiable curiosity, and love of nature, he used his abilities to ask great questions and to entertain interesting discussions until the final few days of his life. His presence will be profoundly missed.
Predeceased by his wife and partner in life, Mary Ethel, and his son Larry, Schechter is survived by two sons, Richard of Houston, and his former wife Sue Schechter of Chappell Hill, and Geoffrey and his wife Tina Hoffman of Lexington. MA., four grandchildren, Lillie, Chris, Aimee and Ruby, his brothers and their wives, Joe and Joyce Schechter of Austin and Arthur and Joyce Schechter of Houston, 5 beloved nieces and nephews, 11 grandnieces and nephews and countless cousins of all stripes. They will miss his piercing blue eyes, kindness, enduring patience, love of children and wry sense of humor.
The family wishes to thank his wonderful caregivers, Behigno Serrano, Gabriel and Caroline Igharoro and Barbara Speller, for their love and friendship these past years, and those at the Heart Hospital of Austin who worked so tirelessly in his final days.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, October 10th, at 2:00 p.m. at Capital Parks Cemetery, 14501 North IH-35 in Pflugerville.
The family requests that any contributions be made to the Dr. Robert Schechter Scholarship Fund, c/o The Cockrell School of Engineering, ATTN: Dean Clement, The University of Texas at Austin, 301 E. Dean Keeton C2104, Austin, TX 78712 or The Alan Lawrence Schechter Fund at Congregation Beth Israel, 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas 78756.
Obituary and guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com
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