Robert E. Trotter, 82, passed peacefully at home, in his sleep on the morning of January 15, 2025. He was an exceptional and loving father, husband, brother, uncle and friend. Bob was born in St Louis, MO and grew up in Alexandria, VA, graduating from Hammond HS in 1959 and the University of MD in 1963 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He served his country in the US Army from 1965 to 1967 in Korea and at Fort Belvoir, VA.
Bob was always very active and athletic. He was captain of his HS tumbling team and enjoyed hunting and skiing in his earlier years. He was very competitive and liked to win at tennis, play golf and bike. He enjoyed most sports. He was a 50+ year member of the DuPont Country Club.
Bob worked for DuPont Engineering for over 42 years, mostly as consultant manager of the heat, mass & momentum transfer group. He had a curious mind and a unique ability to solve complex engineering problems making his technical expertise highly sought after across DuPont. He held several patents. In his down time, he was an avid reader, dabbled in finance, and enjoyed solving sudoku puzzles. He always enjoyed filet mignon, corn on the cob, and a good bourbon. He was a humble and caring man.
Bob met his wife Jean through work and they married in 1999. They enjoyed playing tennis and golf together, as well as traveling, and learning and exploring with friends and family. They complemented each other’s skill set and excelled as a team in every regard. On occasion, having “2 chiefs and no Indians” presented quite the challenge.
Bob leaves behind his dedicated loving wife and soulmate of 25+ years, Jean; his son Michael (Swathi) and 3 granddaughters (Sahana, Leela, Padma) which he loved to see grow and excel in gymnastics competitions. He also leaves behind his sister Martha and brother Glen (Marilene). He is predeceased by his parents Virginia Duehring and John Wesley Trotter, as well as his first son, Jack (John Robert), whom he always admired for his attitude given the challenges he faced.
It is suggested anyone wanting to make contributions, do so to lung cancer research (https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/) or a charity of your choice. Never have smoked, Bob passed of ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer following a long 9+ year valiant battle. A man of few words and dry sense of humor, he will be missed by many who knew him. A celebration of his life will be held in the spring.
