Reid Robinson June PhD

Reid was immensely proud of his nearly 50-year association with the Boeing Company, beginning as a summer intern while in graduate school, more than 34 years of active service, followed by consulting after retirement. He was also a consultant for the U.S. Navy and law firms after retirement. His entire time at Boeing was devoted to advancing the state of the art of structures, materials and manufacturing processes for commercial and military aircraft. He led the initial work on composites for Boeing Commercial Airplanes; he and the group he managed were responsible for producing the first Boeing component certified for flight by the FAA as well as the first large-scale flight service evaluation program involving numerous airlines. This work was at the beginning of the long road that led ultimately to the composite 787. He managed the developmental test program for the majority of the composite structure of the B-2 Stealth Bomber, involving at the time the largest composite components ever made, and which culminated in full-scale validation tests described by one Air force official as the most successful large airplane tests in Air Force history.

His final assignments were among his most enjoyable. He headed numerous multi-disciplined “Tiger” teams moving from one program problem area to another. His approach to problem solution was straight forward and never varied: Define the problem, discover root causes, establish criteria for success, design and execute a corrective action closure plan, declare victory and present awards. During his long career he received many honors and awards, but there was one that he valued above all others. It was in the form of an overheard, off-hand remark by a young engineer working in an area where Reid had been sent to “help”. She said “I can’t explain why, but when Reid’s here things get better.”

He grew up in a small town, Rocky Ford, CO, in the Chevrolet dealership owned by his family and was destined to be an engineer from the start. As an undergrad in Mechanical Engineering at Oklahoma State University he was a member of Sigma Tau and Pi Tau Sigma engineering honorary fraternities, president of his social fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha and running unaffiliated, he served in student government as engineering senator. June, 1954 was a busy month: he received his B.S. in ME, was commissioned a 2LT in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, married Jeanne Wunsch of La Junta, and began his first job at Standard Oil of Indiana. After one year at Standard Oil and two years of army service he returned to OSU where he received his master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering and in 1960 his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. His dissertation was supported by a National Science Foundation grant.

He enjoyed teaching. He taught undergrad thermodynamics and heat transfer as a graduate assistant at OSU and as a visiting professor he taught graduate courses in Aeronautical and Mechanical engineering in evening graduate programs at Wichita State University and Seattle University.

He was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and served as chairman of the national Technical Committee for Materials. He served as Boeing’s representative on the Science Advisory Council of the Pacific Science Center for 15 years.

He was a volunteer for the Humane Society, a mentor with the Volunteers in Bellevue Educational System as well as the United States Power Squadrons. He was a member of Bugles Across America who proudly and with honor sounded Taps for the services of more than 2100 veterans laid to rest at Tahoma National Cemetery.

He was Master Councilor of his DeMolay chapter, a Chevalier, and the DeMolay Legion of Honor. He was a 32nd degree mason, a member of Scottish Rite, Nile Shrine and life member and past master of Lakeside Lodge #258 A & F M. He was a recipient of the Grand Master’s Achievement Award.

Reid had a “one-liner” for nearly every situation. Some of his favorites were “I’m from corporate and I’m here to help”, “No job is too hard to assign to somebody”. No job was too hard for Reid when he didn’t have to do it himself he used his favorite known as Reid’s Rule “Never let the sun set on an undelegated task.” To tell him that something was impossible, as the bureaucrats he called bean counters sometimes did, was a challenge he welcomed and addressed head-on.

Reid was fortunate to work with many superb individuals and he learned from each of them. They included Ed Stannard, Roy Topp, John McCarty, Bob Watson, Paul Sandoz, and Dale Shellhorn.

The family enjoyed several years of cruising the San Juan Islands in their cabin cruiser. One memorable event that they never let Reid forget was the time that he served up some undercooked contaminated clams. Then after the girls were grown, Jeanne and Reid enjoyed 25 years of travel in their Beaver Marquis motor home. The Thousand Trails preserve near La Conner, WA was one of their favorite spots, and they volunteered many hours of service of musical entertainment, Jeanne playing keyboard and Reid trumpet. They also conducted chapel services at the preserve for several years when the preserve manager, an ordained minister, took ill.

Reid is survived by Jeanne, his best friend and beloved wife of 62 years, daughters Debbie Dawson (Tom) and Linda Bedell (Kim), his brother Dr. Max Spencer, and his beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Gracie.

Private Military Honors will be rendered at Tahoma National Cemetery at a later date. Being passionate about all of his pets Reid requested if you desire remembrances may be made in his name either to Seattle Humane at www.seattlehumane.org (mail address Seattle Humane 13212 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98005) or to the Jack Russell Rescue Organization at www.jackrussellrescueowi.org (mail address in c/o Elisa Filoni, 1303 Maple St, Everett, WA, 98201).