Obituary of Robert Halfman

Robert L. Halfman died on Sunday, February 21, 2010 just a few weeks after reaching the age of 87. The third son of Walter and Anna Halfman, Robert was born on February 8, 1923 in New York City where he lived until going to college at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Massachusetts. His education was interrupted by his service in the U. S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II. After the war he continued his studies at MIT where he was hired as a Professor of Aeronautics after earning a master’s degree. In 1948, he married Eleanora Otto, and together they had 4 children; Peter, Peg, Sue and John and lived in Lexington, MA. Bob’s lifelong career at MIT as a Professor, and later as an Associate Dean, was interrupted twice during the 1960’s when the family went to live in India, when he participated as one of the American professors and later as the director of the U.S. AID project that helped establish a branch of the Indian Institute of Technology in the city of Kanpur. During his retirement, Bob especially enjoyed visits from his five grandchildren during the annual Halfman family reunions at family’s vacation home on Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith, NH. Bob’s wish was to be cremated and for his family to schedule a remembrance there next summer to scatter his ashes. In lieu of flowers memorials in Bob’s name may be made to the University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop St., Cambridge, MA 02138.