Robert (Bob) Clayton Edwards

Robert Clayton Edwards ~ 1929 - 2025

HUDSON - Robert (Bob) Clayton Edwards, 96, died on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Bob was born on February 17, 1929, in Akron and was a long-time Hudson resident. He is survived by daughters, Ellen Biancaniello and Cindy (Dennis) Martineau; grandchildren, Mitra Rothman (Barry), Megan Martineau, and Drew Martineau; siblings, Richard, Roger (Ann), and Nancy Bracht. He is predeceased by his loving wife of 66 years, Betty Ringwalt; sister, Carolyn; sisters-in-law, Sally and Yvonne; brother-in-law, John, and son-in-law, Anthony. As a devoted family man, Bob tried to live his life with balance - he was fond of his “One Third Rule:” a third of your life should be work, a third family, and a third intellectual and leisure pursuits.

Bob was a 1947 graduate of Garfield High School. He holds a Bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from the College of Engineering, The University of Akron, and further graduate studies at Case University. He spent his early career with Firestone and, from 1960 to his retirement in 1990, with NASA at Glenn’s Lewis Field Campus in Cleveland. In 1980, Bob was appointed head of Structure and Mechanisms Section, Space Transportation Engineering Division. Centaur Engineer Bob Edwards spent those years working on the Altas-Centaur launch vehicle, using only his slide rule, pen and paper to build one of NASA’s signature achievements. By combining the robust Altas booster with the groundbreaking Centaur upper stage, the first to successfully use cryogenic propellants, the system set new standards in performance and reliability. Centaur powered numerous missions, delivering scientific instruments, satellites and probes to their destinations, helping pave the way for modern space exploration. In 1982, he was recognized with a Special Achievement Award for his integration of the Centaur vehicle into the Space Shuttle Orbiter. His desktop computer was never activated.

Bob served in the U.S. Army from 1947-1949, stationed in Germany. It was there, during long nights monitoring seismic data, that he discovered a book of poetry left by his daytime counterpart. This fostered a life-long love of poetry and, even in these last stages of life in memory care, he could regale, on demand, numerous stanzas of his favorites: Wadsworth, A.E. Houseman, and Omar Khayyam. In his youth, he excelled in baseball and in his later years, was an avid - and excellent - golfer. For most of his life, he also enjoyed playing bridge. His intelligence and dry wit made him a sought-after companion by all those who were fortunate enough to know him.

Calling hours will be held at Redmon Funeral Home, 3633 Darrow Road, Stow, 44224, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, on Friday, March 7, 2025. A private burial will follow.