Robert W. Bragdon

Robert Bragdon of Marblehead and Peabody passed away on April 17th surrounded by his family after a long illness. Born in Marblehead, he was the son of Howard Bragdon and Merle Moses Bragdon of Salem. He graduated from the Salem Normal School and attended Bowdoin College where he graduated in 1943 with a major in chemistry. He went to work in St. Louis for Mallinckrot Chemical Company specifically to work on the Manhattan Project purifying uranium for the atomic bomb. He married his college sweetheart Dawn Burnham Bragdon and was married to her until his passing for over 70 years. After WWII he moved back to Marblehead and went to work for Metal Hydrides in Beverly where he became Dir. of Research and Development and was awarded 17 patents for his work. He worked for Simplex Wire & Cable Co. for a short while and then became Vice President for Research and Development at the Hampshire Chemical Company of Nashua, NH. Upon his retirement he and his wife built a home on the coast of Maine in Harpswell near his beloved Bowdoin College.

Bob was a member of the American Chemical Society for over 60 years and was past President of the Marblehead Town Class Association loving to race his “Sprite” to several town championships as well as a New England Championship. In his later years Bob and Dawn could be seen sailing “Effie Belle”, a 22’ Marshall Cat boat in local Marblehead waters. Upon retiring he loved researching his ancestry and sharing his findings with his children. He was very proud to find out the first Bragdon, Arthur Bragdon, from Stratford on Avon, England arrived in 1634 settling in York, Maine.

Besides his wife, he leaves his 3 children, Jo Ann Lennox of Readfield, Me. and her husband Larry Lennox, Richard Bragdon of Marblehead and Robert Bragdon II and his wife Susan also of Marblehead. He also leaves his grandchildren Greg Lennox and his wife Susanna of Amherst N.H., Sarah Lewis of Calif, Laura Bragdon of West Hartford, Ct. and Evan Bragdon and Hannah Bragdon of Marblehead. He also leaves his 4 great grand children, Peter and Kari Lennox and Finn and Ella Lewis.

Services will be private.