Robert Franklin Rautenstrauch ’38

Bob Rautenstrauch (known to his friends as "R-Squared") died Sept. 12, 1996, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he had lived for many years.

Bob came to Princeton from Horace Mann School in NYC and received his BS degree in mechanical engineering, then went on to NYU's Guggenheim School to get a master's in aeronautical engineering, which became his lifetime profession.

From 1941-46 he taught at North Carolina State and from 1947-52 was professor of mechanical engineering at Bucknell. He continued his teaching career later as professor of aerospace engineering at Kent State University from 1967-83, when he retired.

In and around these teaching assignments he worked on many projects for major aeronautical companies, including Curtiss-Wright and Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge, designing parts of HR-4 helicopters, the Minuteman rocket and power plants for various space vehicles. He also designed the famous racing plane Belle of Bethany, which is now on exhibit in the New England Air Museum in Hartford, Conn.

Bob was active locally in his church, ran model airplane contests, and was a volunteer trainman on the excursion train that shuttled back and forth from Akron to Cleveland during the summer months.

He is survived by his wife, Ann, by twin daughters from his earlier marriage, and by one grandson. To them all, the class expresses its sincere condolences.

The Class of 1938