Robert Gardiner, Ii

Robert Allen Gardiner, II, 87, of Chappell Hill, died March 27, 2006, in College Station Medical Center. Mr. Gardiner was born on February 22, 1919, in East Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Case Institute of Technology with a BScEE in 1940. He worked for General Industries Co. out of Elyria, Ohio from 1940-1941 and then Airborne Instruments Laboratory, Mineola, Long Island and Langley Field, Va. from 1941-1943. He worked for NACA in the Pilotless Research Division from 1943-1955. At TRW from 1955-1964, he was Manager of Operational Engineering, Director of Marketing, Research and Development and responsible for projects such as Missile Automatic Systems and Aircraft Servo Coordinate Systems. Mr. Gardiner s proudest accomplishments were when he worked for NASA, Johnson Space Center, from 1964-1975. He was the Assistant Division Chief for Program Management, Guidance, Navigation and Control Divisions, Division Chief G, N and C Division and Assistant Director for Electronic Systems. In these positions, he was responsible for the technical performance and electronic systems for all Apollo and Lunar Module Systems and the experiments that were performed on the moon, as well as the Space Shuttle electronic systems design concept. He retired from NASA in 1975 and then went to work for Grumman as Director of Engineering Development from 1975-1979. He provided consulting services for Intermetrics, McDonnell Douglas and Grumman Aerospace Corporation. He was awarded the World War II National Defense Research Council Commendation and NASA Exceptional Service Medal twice, elected Fellow of the IEEE, and served on the University of Texas Electrical Engineering Visiting Committee six years. Survivors include his loving wife of 58 years, Catherine Spruill Gardiner of Chappell Hill; his son, Robert Allen Gardiner III and wife Sangie of Friendswood; two grandsons, Jacob Allen Gardiner and Joshua Aaron Gardiner, both of Friendswood; daughter, Patricia Louise Gardiner Hoffmaster of Dedham, Massachusetts; niece, Nancy Gardiner and nephew, Charles Bohman Gardiner, both of Newbury, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Edna Gardiner; and brother, Charles Bohman Gardiner. He truly loved his family, and he will be deeply missed. The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at Memorial Oaks Chapel. The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 31 at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Phillipsburg with Pastor Jenny Bohls officiating. Memorials may be given to the Organ Fund at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2739 Phillipsburg Church Rd., Brenham, TX 77833. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., in Brenham.