He was born in 1923 in Dao, Philippines. In 1947, he was selected to study in the US as a government scholar under the Philippines/US World War II reparations program. He received a degree in Meteorology at the University of Chicago. He then attended the University of Michigan and was awarded BS (1950), MS (1952) and PhD (1956) degrees in Civil Engineering. He was president of the university’s Filipino American organization and married Beatriz Manuel on Thanksgiving Day in 1952 at the student Newman Chapel in Ann Arbor. His first teaching position was at the University of Michigan as a university fellow. He worked as a design engineer in private industry in Detroit for two years and returned to the academic world as a professor at Syracuse University (1957-59). In 1959 he began his distinguished career as a professor and researcher at the University of Buffalo, and was the first non-Caucasian professor to be granted tenure at SUNY Buffalo. His addition to the relatively new engineering department facilitated the creation of a doctoral program. He also pioneered the use of computers in civilian research.
He was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph University Parish Church in Buffalo and was a founding member of the Fil-Am Association of WNY. He enjoyed managing UB student rental housing and enthusiastically traded stocks until age 95. He was a devoted father to his children and a loving “Lolo” to his grandchildren.
He was the husband of the late Beatriz Manuel Isada. He is survived by his children Dr. Nelson B. (Kimberly) Isada, Dr. Carlos M. (Dr. Loretta) Isada and Juliana I. (Joseph) Dompkowski; grandchildren, Matthew, Alex and Mae Isada, and Thomas and Andrew Dompkowski. He was predeceased by siblings Sergio, Cesar, Lourdes and Pepito Isada and parents Resurreccion and Juliana Isada.
Visitation Friday July 12 from 4-8 pm at Perna, Dengler, Roberts Funeral Home, 1671 Maple Rd, Williamsville. A Mass will be celebrated Saturday July 13 at St. Joseph University Parish Church at 11 AM. Donations may be made to St. Joseph University Parish Church, 3269 Main St, Buffalo 14214.
Online condolences may be offered at www.denglerrobertspernafuneral.com
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