Robert W. Hoedemaker ’51

Bob was born July 1, 1930, in Paterson, N.J., the son of Peter and Mildred Koch Hoedemaker.

He attended Passaic Valley High in Little Falls, N.J., where he and our classmate Bill Brown were first in school together. At Princeton he was in the NROTC and earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, played football, was on the swimming team, played in the band, and belonged to Cannon. He roomed with Chandler Dawson, Daniel Hansen, J.E.T. Rutter, and William Seavey.

Following graduation, Bob served as engineering officer on the destroyer USS O’Hare and was separated in 1954, after which he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at MIT. He and Joan Hampel were married June 25, 1955. Thereafter, he followed a career as an engineer in the aerospace industry.

Bob enjoyed sports. In April 1986 he suffered a serious brain injury while playing handball and was totally paralyzed and unable to speak. He was cared for at his Princeton home by his wife and children with in-home nursing assistance.

A longtime resident of Princeton, Bob died Dec. 3, 2010. He is survived by Joan; son Bob Jr.; daughter Sandra; two granddaughters; and his brother, Edgar.