Robert A. GESHNER

GESHNER, VON THUN, BEEBE, WARREN, IERUBINO, KAPLOWE, WHITTY, BRENNAN, POLENZ

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/23/2006 at 19:40:52

Robert A. Geshner, 78, of Dubuque, and Palm Springs, Calif., pioneer of printed wiring, integrated circuit boards and development of E-Beam use for the manufacture of integrated circuits, born on Feb. 8, 1928, in Chicago, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2006, at home, with his wife by his side. He had been suffering from primary liver cancer. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends and the scientific community. Preceding him in death were his son, Glenn Robert Geshner, who died of melanoma on Feb. 18, 1995; his brother, John Allen Geshner, who died in December 2004; his father, John Lionel Geshner; and his mother, Elisabeth Henrietta Von Thun Geshner; his father-in-law, Willard Beebe Jr.; and his mother-in-law, Florence Wade Beebe. Surviving him are his wife of 54 years, Nancy; their daughter, Phyllis Warren, of Palm Springs; a son-in-law, Curtis Warren; a granddaughter, Hannah Warren; a grandson, Nicholas Ierubino, of Basking Ridge, N.J.; a sister-in-law, Hazel Geshner; a niece, Susan Kaplowe, of New Jersey; and a nephew, John R. Geshner, of Louisiana.

Robert "Bob" grew up in Chicago, with frequent vacation trips to Wisconsin. His father, born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, the grandson of Stephen Whitty, an early railroader, and his wife, Katherine Brennan, was a survivor of the Eastland Disaster and went on as foreman to install the first telephone party lines in Iowa, as well as the first direct dial system in Chicago. Bob's mother, born in Cleveland, of immigrants Johan Henreich Von Thun and his wife, Emma Polenz, became one of the first women ever to enter management at "Ma Bell." Bob's only sibling, "Jack," an early radar expert, was eight-years older than he and was his primary father figure as a result of their mother and father's divorce. Their father, having served in World War I, Bob served his country in the Army during World War II, reaching the rank of Sergeant. The GI Bill helped Bob continue his education, and he earned a bachelor of arts degree with triple major of mathematics, physics and engineering at Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, with post-graduate work at the University of Illinois and the University of Rochester, N.Y. It was at Cornell College that Bob met Nancy, of Elgin, Ill., who was also a student there. His proposal was convincing, and they were married at The First Baptist Church in Elgin, on Aug. 23, 1952, where her parents both served in various capacities. In 1956, they started their "king's bookend" family when Glenn was born in Rochester, followed by Phyllis in 1959.

Bob worked at Western Electric in Cicero, Ill., from 1952 to 1956, and then General Dynamics (Stromberg-Carlson) in New York from 1956 to 1962. The family relocated to Cherry Hill, N.J., where they first lived at 218 Rochester Ridge in Barclay Farms and later built a house at 10 Cunningham Lane, Wilderness Acres, also in Cherry Hill. Bob began his 26-year career working for RCA in Camden, N.J. The family removed to Warren, in Somerset County, N.J., when Bob transferred to RCA Somerville, and they moved again to Tewksbury, Hunterdon County, N.J., when his widowed mother-in-law joined the household. Later, Bob, Nancy, Phyllis and Nicholas retired to Iowa in the Dubuque area after much family sadness at the loss of their son and Florence. His daughter was subsequently married to TV quiz show celebrity Curtis Warren. The birth of Bob and Nancy's granddaughter, Hannah, prompted the purchase of a second home in Palm Springs, to be near the Warren family during winters. Growing up, Bob was an Eagle Scout and three-time president of his Luther League. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion and volunteer at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, where many might recall his good-humored and informative tours of the gardens and assistance at the visitor's center. Robert Geshner's career spanned three decades. He worked his way up the ranks in RCA to become director of the microphotolithography laboratory with many patents, and a leading worldwide expert in his field. He chaired many symposia lecturing all over the world and published many papers on the subjects related to integrated circuits and mask-making. He is listed in Who's Who of America Men of Science honoring his leadership and innovation of many state-of-the-art systems in mask-making, etching, design, television and computer use. He received presidential commendation for his work, the results of which brought historic pictures from the moon as the first Land Rover traveled around its surface. His inventions are still referenced in new patents. He retired following a two-year consultancy for GE when that firm purchased RCA. He and his crew had achieved zero defect sub-micron production without which the tiny integrated circuits so ubiquitously found in business and households today could not exist. His dedication, intellect, problem-solving expertise, sense of humor and unerring work ethic are examples to all who follow him.

A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 Kennedy Road. Full military rites will be accorded by the American Legion, Dubuque Post 6. The family suggests memorial donations may be given to the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Hospice of Dubuque or a charity of your choice.

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA)
November 3, 2006