Cetin Soydemir, a geotechnical engineer, died suddenly Sept. 22, 2014, at the age of 79.
Born in Turkey, Soydemir received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering there in 1957 from Robert College. He came to the United States and earned two master’s degrees in engineering from Harvard in 1958 and 1960. In 1967, he was awarded a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Princeton. The 1974 Princeton Alumni Directory listed him as an associate professor at a Turkish university in Ankara.
Returning to the U.S. in 1977, he began a 24-year career as vice president and senior geotechnical consultant at Haley & Aldrich Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. This noted engineering firm contributed to buildings that are part of the Boston skyline.
After Haley & Aldrich, Soydemir worked for Geotechnical Services Inc. in Goffstown, N.H., until 2009. Then, until his death, he worked daily as a senior geotechnical consultant at Environmental Compliance Service Inc. in Woburn, Mass. He also had taught at UMass, Lowell.
Soydemir was predeceased by his wife, Shirley. He is survived by a son; five grandchildren; and numerous relatives in his native Turkey.
Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.