Robert J. Livingston ’59

Skip died March 1, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla., of Lewy body dementia.

Born in Jersey City and raised in Ridgewood, N.J., Skip was valedictorian of his class at Ridgewood High School. At Princeton, he graduated cum laude with an A.B. in religion, rowed on freshman crew, played varsity rugby, and ate at Cap and Gown. Senior year he roomed with Al Bueno, Dick Dortzbach, Ray Fite, Fred Schrader, Bob Shepardson, and Doug Stewart.

Skip discovered the world of marine biology while traveling post-Princeton in France, and to overcome his lack of background in the natural sciences took on graduate work in biology at Columbia and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, leading to a M.S. and Ph.D. in marine biology from the Institute of Marine Science at the University of Miami.

Skip then joined the department of biological sciences at Florida State in Tallahassee and taught for 35 years, retiring as a professor emeritus. He was elected as Florida scientist of the year by the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa. His academic specialty focused on the ecology of aquatic systems (lakes, rivers, oceans), and he authored more than 150 publications and five books. Among a host of public service activities, he helped free Puerto Rico’s Vieques island of U.S. Navy weapons debris.

Skip is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marilyn; four children; and one grandchild.