Robert Ferd Engeman, Sr.

Robert Ferd Engeman Sr. “Bob” left this world peacefully to be with our Lord on March 6, 2018. He was born in Newark, N.J. on June 10, 1925 to the late Caroline Mueller Engeman and Ferdinand Anton Engeman. After graduation from West Side High School, he enlisted in the United States navy in the Aviation Cadet Training Program. After his time of service in the Navy, he came to Atlanta to attend Georgia Tech, where he was president of Sigma Nu Fraternity an attained a degree in Industrial Engineering in 1948. He then spent a year in Emory law School, after which he worked at Atlanta Gas Company and then came to McDonough in the early 50’s to run the foundry at Snapper. He worked there until 1957 when he started Simmons Manufacturing in a Quonset building on Highway 20 in McDonough. This pump company then developed into water valve manufacturing and grew much larger to become a major competitor on the market for water well supplies and frost-free hydrants. Today the company is just known as Simmons. Bob also served on the Hospital Authority Board during the 1970's when the original Henry General Hospital was built in Stockbridge, Georgia.

In 1989 Bob married Kathleen (Kathy) Colvin Engeman enjoying 28 years of traveling, gardening, farming, and continuing to work at Simmons until early 2017. Bob is survived by his wife and children, Felton Hall Henderson (Natalie), Centerville and Shannon Henderson Sanders (Matt), Atlanta and grandchildren, Rebecca Henderson Morea (Joey), Berkeley Lake, Grace Henderson, Centerville, Willow Sanders and Everett Sanders, Atlanta.

Bob is survived by three children with his first wife, May Turner Engeman: Robert (Bob) F. Engeman Jr. (Paula), McDonough, Richard W. Engeman, Gainesville and Caroline Engeman Moss (Jody), Westmoreland, Tennessee and grandchildren, Heather Engeman Smith (Kevin), Springfield, Tennessee, Robert F. Engeman III, McDonough, Katie May Moss, Westmoreland, Tennessee and Richard Allen Engeman, McDonough and great-grandchildren, Jordon and Brayden Smith, Springfield, Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Locust Grove United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 277, Locust Grove, GA 30248 or to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 930188, Norcross, GA 30003-0188.