Robert Lee Maxwell

Robert (Bob) L. MAXWELL, age 88, of Oceanside, California passed away on Friday August 27, 2010. Bob was born on April 5, 1922 in Washington, DC to John and Daisy Maxwell. He grew up in Bronx, NY and was interested in trains, planes, and automobiles. Bob wanted to be an engineer and airplane pilot. He attended City College of New York and received a BS in Mechanical Engineering and completed Civilian Pilot Training to earn his commercial pilots license. He was hired as an Installation Engineer by the Aeronautical Division of Curtis Wright Corporation in Woodbridge, NJ. Bob joined the Army Air Corps and was trained as a Bomber Pilot (B-25) in Tuskegee, Alabama. After the war, Bob returned to Wright Aeronautical and worked on the design and development of turbojet and ramjet engines. He completed his MS in Mechanical Engineering, at Stevens Institute of Technology and later received an MBA from UCLA.

Bob was a propulsion system engineer in the aerospace industry with Wright Aeronautical, The Marquardt Corp, and Williams International. He was Director of the Office of Systems Engineering for the US Department of Transportation, Transportation Manager for the Office of Technology Assessment of the U.S. Congress, Marketing Representative for the General Electric Company, Vice President of Superior Engineering & Electronics, owner of Rancho Printing in Encinitas, and an Instructor of Entrepreneurship and Transportation Planning at UCSD Extension.

He served on the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and on the University Council at California State University, San Marcos. He also served on the Transportation Committee of the City of Oceanside, the City of San Diego Airports Advisory Committee and was President of the San Diego Regional Transportation Technology Alliance.

Bob was President of the San Diego Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and later served on its Board of Directors. He received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service during World War II.

Bob is survived by Jean, his wife of 65 years, plus three children, Robert, David, and Margaret. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Jackie Maxwell, granddaughter Megan Maxwell, brother-in-law, Dr. Arthur H. Sams, and nephews Arthur (Tania), Barron (Patty), and Steven Sams.

Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life Service on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 3:00 PM at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, Balboa Park. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM at the Eternal Hills Memorial Chapel, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside, California 92054.

Arrangements under the direction of Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Mortuary and Crematory, Oceanside, California.