Robert Elliot Fitch

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Madeline Fitch on April 17, 2002:

The following article appeared in the Seattle Times at the time of my husband's death.......He was the love of my life and I will miss him forever......until we meet again. *************. Robert "Bob" Elliot Fitch, 73, passed away February 12, following a long struggle with lung cancer. He was born in Wenatchee in 1928, graduated from West Point in 1951 and served during the Korean War. He worked on his master's degree at UC Berkeley in California and returned to Seattle in 1972. He and his wife Madeline were married in 1974. Bob retired from Boeing in 1991 after a satisfying career of 28 years in engineering management & technology development. He was heavily involved in the research and development of advanced air-breathing propulsion technologies, supersonic combustion ramjets, and air-augmented rocket design. Bob shifted into the environmental and energy area, most notably-being responsible for the first commercially successful energy recovery system in the US-the process of creating energy from municipal waste. He was named in multiple patents in the environmental and energy recovery areas and retired from the B2 Program as manager of a fuel systems design crew. Bob always enjoyed creative projects, including taking a hands-on approach to many additions of their waterfront home on Lake Meridian, where he and his family resided for nearly 20 years. Most recently, he and his wife designed and built their retirement dream home on Puget Sound with panoramic views of Mount Rainier. When he wasn't building, he liked golfing, woodworking, snow skiing, boating--and was an avid reader. His many travels with family in his retirement years took him to Greece, New Zealand, Australia, and most recently, to Italy. He is survived by his wife, Madeline; daughter Laurie Dahl-Farros of Woodside, CA; son Scott Dahl of Seattle; grandchildren Selena and Diandra Fitch of Lynnwood; brother John Fitch and wife Billie of Marrowstone Island; niece Cheryl Blackburn and her son Kyle of Vashon; nephew Jim Fitch and his daughter Hannah of Edmonds. He is also survived by John Fitch and Linnelle Fitch, son and daughter, from a previous marriage. He was a loving husband and father, tremendously enjoyed his family and many friends, and will be dearly missed. Charitable contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Oncology Department of Valley Medical Center, Renton.

admin