Dr. Robert Mitchell Kiehn

He is survived by his wife, of 35 years, Julianne Jaggers Kiehn; his sister, Karolyn Suzanne Houldsworth of Olney, MD; son Grady Parker Kiehn of Luling, TX; daughter Lise Kiehn Ross of Bee Cave, TX; and nephew Scott Paul Houldsworth of Olney, MD.  He is also survived by step-children Kathie Cool of Colorado Springs, CO; Chas Schreiber of Austin, TX; Kenneth Pecoraro of Highland Village, TX; and Lisa Pecoraro Harrell of Georgetown, TX; as well as grandchildren John and Kathryn Ross; and step-grandchildren Kevin and Kelly Cool; Michaela, Ryan, Matthew and Henry Pecoraro;  Shelby Pecoraro; and Avery Evans. 

Robert was born in Chicago, IL to Robert Arthur Kiehn and Marie Elizabeth Mitchell Kiehn in 1929 and graduated from high school in Elmhurst, IL. in 1946.  He entered MIT in Boston, MA at age 16 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.  Robert graduated at age 23 from MIT with a doctorate of Physics.  After college, he joined the labs at Los Alamos, NM, working on assorted nuclear projects, with a number of patents to his credit.  Robert worked on many classified nuclear projects, including heading up the flying laboratory for an above ground nuclear project called Operation Starfish Prime in the Pacific in 1961.  While in New Mexico, he married Gail Parker Kiehn from Luling, TX and started his family.  In 1962, Robert moved his family to Houston, TX, while on a year long sabbatical from Los Alamos, where he helped start a graduate school of physics at the University of Houston.  He soon moved to Luling, TX where he started an 80 acre pecan farm and cattle ranch where would raise his children.  As a pilot, he would commute to Houston in his Cessna 172 airplane.  Robert’s one year sabbatical turned into a nearly 50 year career teaching Physics at the University of Houston.  After his divorce from Gail in the 1980’s, Robert met and married Julie, the love of his life.  They had an exciting life together travelling the world, living in France, giving lectures and enjoying life abroad until his retirement in 2010. 

During his 86 years, Robert was a fantastic husband, father and grandfather, a great scientist and teacher of physics, a world traveler, an avid pilot, an inventor, a wine aficionado, a ballroom dancer, a pecan farmer, a cattle rancher, a clarinet player, and even gravedigger in his youth.  Robert definitely made an impression upon everyone he met with his enthusiasm about whatever subject he was talking about.  If he wasn’t lecturing about science, he was generally laughing, joking, and just a whole lot of fun to be around.  He has been known as Bobby, Bob, Robert, Grumps, Crazy Robert, and The Flying Professor. 

Robert's life was celebrated at a private gathering at his home in Sun City, TX., surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.  He will truly be missed by all who knew him.