Robert Laubach ’40

Robert died Sept. 11, 2015, in his longtime home of Syracuse, N.Y. He was born in Manila in the Philippines, where he lived through his high school years, thence coming to the United States and Princeton. He was a 1941 graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, and was a conscientious objector during World War II. He then earned a Ph.D. in education at Syracuse.

Known to all as “Dr. Bob,” and following in the career footsteps of his father, he embarked on a career in adult literacy education. The two Laubachs are credited in his obituary with teaching 100 million adults to read in more than 200 languages. He founded what became ProLiteracy Worldwide in 1955 and subsequently created the News For You newsletter and New Readers Press, all of which remain in existence today.

Bob’s wife, Frances, died in 1988. He is survived by his children, Laura, Ann, Emily, and Charles.