Celebrating a life
Services set for GE pioneer and inventor Walter Robb, who died of coronavirus./
Six months after dying of COVID -19, General Electric pioneer and inventor Walter L. Robb will be mourned at a service honoring his life Saturday.
A service will begin at 2 p.m. at First Reformed Church, 8 N. Church St. in Schenectady's Stockade neighborhood. Those wishing to attend are asked to register in advance at www.1streformed.com. Masks will be required of all attendees, and proper social distancing measures will be in place. The service will also be livestreamed on the First Reformed Church's website.
Robb, 91, was helping care for his wife, Anne, who had fallen ill when he became overcome with his own symptoms of the virus. He died at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady on March 23, a week after pandemic restrictions were put in place statewide.
He was the first victim of novel coronavirus from the Capital Region the Times Union profiled. Since then, more than 345 people from the region have died after contracting the virus. Nationwide, 200,000 have died after contracting the disease.
A native of Pennsylvania, Robb joined GE at age 23 after earning a doctorate in chemical engineering in record time from the University of Illinois. Robb was recruited from the university at the same time as another candidate, Jack Welch, who
went onto become one of GE'S most well-known, and often controversial, CEOS.
A holder of 12 patents, Robb became an expert in permeable membranes and developed the precursor of the membrane lungs now used in heart surgery. He oversaw GE Medical Systems, turning it into a billiondollar plus business and introduced CT and MR scanners into diagnostic imaging. He then became president of GE Healthcare and director of GE Global Research.
After retirement in 1993, President Bill Clinton awarded Robb the National Medal of Technology for leadership in CT and MR imaging.
He also was one of the earliest supporters and board members of Paul Newman’s Double H Ranch for sick children; a 30-year member of the Proctors theatre board, and the owner of the Albany River Rats minor league hockey team.
His obituary said he was a voracious worker, still going into the office of his company Vantage Management, Inc. just days before his death. An avid outdoorsman, he also hiked to the base camp of Mount Everest at age 72. Walt is survived by his wife; three sons, all of whom live in Massachusetts; two siblings, and grandchildren.
Private burial will be in the First Reformed Church Columbarium. Memorial contributions may be made to the “Double H Hole in the Woods” at RD 2, Box 228 Lake Luzerne, NY 12846; or to the First Reformed Church, 8 North Church St., Schenectady, NY 12305.