Robert Dale Halverstadt, age 95, of Meadow Ridge in Redding, a former longtime New Canaan resident, passed away Sept. 13, 2015 with his loving family by his side.
Robert Dale Halverstadt. Published with permission from his family
Born in Warren, Ohio on Jan. 25, 1920, he was the son of the late Roscoe and Dorothy Halverstadt. Robert was the husband of the late Maryella Green Halverstadt who died in 2007.
Robert and Maryella grew up in neighboring towns in Ohio. They were childhood friends, and had begun the process of planning for marriage when the United States was pulled into World War II on Dec. 7, 1941. Robert enlisted in the Coast Guard, and he and Maryella were married less than a month later on New Year’s Eve before shipping out to serve as Chief Engineer aboard a Landing Ship, Tank. Lieutenant Halverstadt saw action in both the Pacific and European theaters, and took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He was in Hawaii preparing for the invasion of Japan when the war ended.
Upon returning home, Robert worked as a machinist at Republic Steel, then enrolled at Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve). There he took night classes while working during the day, graduating with his engineering degree. During this time, he started a family, eventually raising three daughters, Marta, Linda, and Sally.
Robert went on to work at General Electric, where he was a Development Engineer, Laboratory Supervisor, and Manager of the Thomson Engineering Laboratory. His division was responsible for all materials development and application, equipment development, and manufacturing engineering for the aircraft gas turbine engine business in Lynn, Massachusetts. At GE, he received three patent awards for his work, including the electro-chemical process used by GE to manufacture its first production air-cooled turbine blades for its line of turbo-jet engines.
After GE, Robert took the position of Group Vice President of the worldwide engineering and consulting firm of Booz, Allen and Hamilton, Inc. At BA&H, he served as President of Design and Development, Inc. a subsidiary that designed and built automated equipment and developed electro-mechanical consumer and industrial products for commercial clients. As group executive, he was also Chief Executive Officer of Foster D. Snell, Inc., a subsidiary that developed chemical-based consumer and industrial products. In addition, Robert was responsible for coordinating and marketing the BA&H Environmental Service businesses on a worldwide basis in charge of a division called ERG – The Environmental Resources Group.
In 1974, Robert became President of Special Metals Corporation, a world leader in the invention, production and supply of nickel-based, high-performance superalloys used in the aviation and aerospace industries. He served there as President until becoming Chairman of the Board in 1987, a role he filled until 2002 when he became Chairman Emeritus. He continued both in this role and as a Director of the Carus Corporation, a major industrial chemical supplier, until health considerations forced him to limit his work schedule in the last few years.
A longtime member of his professional society the American Society of Materials, Robert was recognized in 2009 for his “distinguished service to the specialty metal industries, for leadership in assuring safe flight, and for excellence in mentoring young metallurgists and managers in the metals business” and elevated to Honorary Member Status.
Survivors include his brother Bill Halverstadt and his wife Donna, three daughters, Marta Griffith and her husband Jeff of Windham, Maine, Linda Halverstadt of New Canaan, and Sally Halverstadt and her husband Larry Ham of Millbrook, NY. Four grandchildren, Kimberley Cornwall, Kristina Carmen, Christopher Orelup, and Nicholas Ham, and three great-grandchildren also survive.
Robert was predeceased by his siblings Richard and Nana.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, September 17 at 11:00am at the Congregational Church of New Canaan. There will be a reception for family and friends at the church following the service. Interment at Lakeview Cemetery will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the ASM Materials Education Foundation.
For online condolences and directions please visit the Hoyt Funeral Home website.