Robert “Bob,” Arthur Stein, Sr. 98, died Feb. 15, 2018, at his home in Longboat Key, Fla. He was born in Chicago, Ill.. May 29, 1919.
He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in mechanical engineering and was made a member of the Mechanical Engineering Honorary Society. After graduation, he moved to Dayton, OH where he worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and met Elaine Isaacson, who became the love of his life. They married in 1944 and had the happiest and most loving 73 years of marriage.
After the war, Bob joined his father-in-law, Max Isaacson, as vice president of Globe Industries, Inc. After Globe merged with TRW in 1967, Bob continued working for TRW until retirement. Later he joined Tech Development where he created products that made the company very successful. Eventually, he and Elaine moved to Sarasota, FL. Bob was an avid clarinetist for much of his life. He learned to play in high school and participated in his university's marching band. He also loved tennis, squash, and biking.
Bob and Elaine traveled the world reveling in art, architecture and the theater in London. They later studied and purchased primarily mid-twentieth century, New York School art that they recently donated to Wright State University to be displayed in the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries. Bob was a staunch believer in education, financially supporting his children and grandchildren from play school through college. He worked diligently for many organizations and donated generously to charities that promoted cultural, artistic, and humanitarian advancement. Bob's family, friends, and indeed all who met him, found him to be caring, optimistic, and loving with an endless smile.
Bob was predeceased by his sisters, Lois Schatz and Muriel Piller, and is survived by his beloved wife Elaine, children Robert Stein Jr., his wife Jan, Leslie Stein, her husband Doug Van Horn, William Stein, his wife JoAnn Lawrence, Cindy Stein, her husband Michael Kolendo, 9 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.
