Robert S. Ringland ’32

Robert S. Ringland died March 9, 2009, in his Burlington, Iowa, nursing home. He had been suffering from dementia, possibly Alzheimer’s, since the mid-1990s.  

Bob was born Dec. 8, 1908, in Glen Ridge, N.J. At Princeton he was a member of Terrace Club, rowed crew, and played football. Bob earned his degree in economics but was proud that he made his mark in science. He became an electrical engineer and a pioneer in the design and production of vacuum tubes, first at RCA and then at GE for 24 years as head of electrical-equipment design.  

Later he joined Antennacraft Corp. of Burlington. After retiring from Antennacraft, he was asked to come back and continued to work as chief engineer until he was 79.

He received several patents for his work, chiefly in radar applications — important contributions during World War II and the Cold War.

Bob married Ruth Farmer in 1934. They had three sons but, sadly, two died in childhood. Ruth died in 2001. Bob is survived by his remaining son, Robert F. Ringland ’58, to whom the class sends it condolences.