Dr. E. Robert "Bob" Baumann, 94, of Ames died October 23, 2015, at Green Hills Retirement Community. Friends are invited to join the family at Green Hills Retirement Center from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on Friday October 30th to celebrate his life. A private burial will take place at Iowa State University Cemetery.
Bob was born on May 12, 1921 in Rochester, New York, to John and Lillie (Roth) Baumann. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan in 1944. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Sanitary Engineering at the University of Illinois, interrupting his education to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. Bob met Mary Massey and the couple married on June 15, 1946. In 1953, Bob accepted a position with Iowa State University, tasked with building a program in Environmental Engineering. In 1959-60, Bob served as a National Science Foundation Faculty Fellow at the University of Durham, Kings College, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. He was named Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering in 1971. He retired from ISU in 1991. He continued his career as a consulting engineer at Bolton and Menk, Inc. There he provided technical support, project conceptual review, and expert forensic services, retiring in 2011 at age 90.
Over the years, Bob has written over 360 publications in various books, magazines, and journals. He was elected a member of the Iowa State Research Foundation and also the Iowa State Board of Health. In 1977, he was selected to present the commencement address at Iowa State. Bob was a member of the Iowa Water Works Association and the past president of many organizations including the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Water Pollution Control Federation, the Association of Environmental Engineering Professors, Iowa Conference, and the American Association of University Professors. Bob joined the Rotary Club in June, 1963, making him a 52-year member.
Bob is survived by Mary, his beloved wife of 69 years, daughter, Betsy Baumann of Ames, son, Philip (Patti) Baumann of Moorhead, MN, grandchildren Jessica (David) Kluck of Moorhead, MN and Timothy (Elli) Laurila of Keller, TX, great-grandchildren Ava and Soren Kluck, Samuel and Henry Laurila.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother John, sister Ruth, 2 nephews, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Massey, and a great-granddaughter, Sophia Susan Laurila.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Youth & Shelter Services, Ames.