Robert (Bob) Brodine
September 21, 1925 - February 25, 2024
Service: Service will be held Saturday March 2, 2024, at 12PM at Christ Our Redeemer Cemetery.
Robert (Bob) Brodine of Allison Park, PA, passed away on Sunday February 25, 2024 at the age of 98. He was the beloved son of Earnest and Pauline Brodine of Galesburg, Illinois, and the loving husband of the late Mary Ann (Hampel) Brodine for 61 years. Surviving family members include daughter Diane Owen of Colorado and Donald Brodine of Pittsburgh, Pa. Deceased sons include Richard and Gary Brodine. Robert was the grandfather of Peter Owen, Micah (Sophie) Owen, Faith (Kyle) Owen, Allison Brodine, and Devon, Regan, Taryn Brodine; great grandfather to Talia Owen, Davian Owen, Nevaeh Owen; brother in law to Grace Solt of Pittsburgh.
Born in a small town in the Midwest, Bob grew up in the 1930’s unaware he was living in a depression. His community was primarily composed of hard-working, strong-willed Swedish individuals, where the children played cards, baseball, rode bikes and worked for pennies. A survivor’s lifestyle and family with two older brothers nurtured Bob’s integrity and independent spirit. His mother often recognized “he had the wanderlust”
Upon graduation from high school in 1943, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves at age 17, anxious to “see the world”. He studied naval electronics and specialized in airborne countermeasures technology which included jamming enemy electronic systems. In his WWII service from 1943-1945, he completed more than 20 combat missions and received the Navy Gold Star, Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Having been forced to ditch to a life raft at sea for several days earned him a membership in the Navy’s fabled Goldfish Club.
After discharge Bob entered Purdue University, where he graduated in Electrical Engineering in 1949, ultimately preparing him for a 34-year career with Gulf Oil’s worldwide exploration operations. His primary technical expertise was in the interpretation of seismic data, and development and evaluation of drilling prospects.
Such a career in exploration plus the wanderlust led Bob and Mary Ann to move frequently from fieldwork in Venezuela and the Rocky Mts to research at Gulf’s Harmarville labs in Pittsburgh, where he was appointed Vice President of Exploration and Production Research in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he received the “Distinguished Engineering Alumnus”award from Purdue.
Bob/Dad/Pop—your family loyalty, patience and sense of humor will be missed.
Service will be held Saturday March 2, 2024, at 12PM at Christ Our Redeemer Cemetery.
I send my deepest condolences to the Brodine family and Grace . I will miss my conversations with Bob . He always made me laugh. And his knowledge was unbelievable. He never forgot anyone. May he always be in your hearts.
Bob’s warm and cheerful presence will be missed. We wish the family strength in your time of sadness and comfort in your time of loss.
We feel deeply the loss of our Granddad and friend Bob. His kind, cheerful, and lively Swedish presence will be with us always. Our deepest condolences to the family.