Thomas Charles Adamson Jr.

Thomas C. Adamson, Jr., professor emeritus of aerospace engineering, University of Michigan, passed away on October 9, 2016 at the age of 92. He was born March 24, 1924 to Thomas C. Adamson and Helen E. Koubek. As a boy he developed a lifelong love of flying through his hobby of building and flying model airplanes in local and national contests. He served in World War II as a radio operator in the 148th Armored Signal Company, 8th Armored Division in Europe. He earned his B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in 1949 from Purdue University, where he met and married the love of his life, Susan E. Adamson (Huncilman). He received his M.S. and PhD degrees in 1950 and 1954 from the California Institute of Technology. He joined the University of Michigan as an associate research engineer in 1954, rose to full professor in 1961, and served as the aerospace department chair, 1983-1991. His long and distinguished teaching and research career included numerous courses, international conference presentations, and publications on esoteric topics

involving spacecraft engine design and function: propulsion, aerodynamics, combustion, rarified gas dynamics, hypersonic flow, and transonic flow. His undergraduate student rated him highly and he guided over 70 graduate students to PhD degrees and careers all over the world. As department chair he oversaw the design and expansion of the FXB Aerospace Engineering Building, and established a new Aerospace Laboratory. In 1980 he was given the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, one of the highest awards presented by the University of Michigan. Professor Adamson is survived by his wife, Susan E. Adamson; two sons, Thomas C. Adamson III (Ellen R. Adamson) and William Andros (Andy) Adamson (Lesli A. Weston); 5 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. His daughter, Laura Adamson Daly Myklebust (Trond Myklebust), died in April 2016. His family will especially remember summer trips to Elk Lake when his extravagant sense of humor took center stage. Funeral services will be held this Thursday October 13th, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 306 N Division St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 with visitation in the Narthex at 12:00 p.m. The family asks donations to be made to the St. Andrews Breakfast program in Thomas C. Adamson Jr.’s name.