Dr. Ralph “Bob” Nash

Dr. Ralph “Bob” Nash, 91, husband of the late Dortha (Wagoner) Nash, died July 21, 2007, in Bangor, Maine. He was born in South Bend, Indiana, May 17, 1916, the son of Ralph Waldo Emerson Nash and Mildred Carr Jerome. He graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1935 and from Purdue University in 1942. He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. Bob attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he received his Ph.D. in metallurgy. Bob worked for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Germantown, Maryland; the Office of Naval Research, London, England; he served as a professor at the University of Virginia; and finally, was employed with NASA where he worked as a scientist supporting basic research. Dr. Nash was the founder of the Adventures in Science Club. President Reagan acknowledged Dr. Nash for his dedicated service to inspiring and teaching children science. He was a former member and president of the Gaithersburg, Maryland, Lions Club. Surviving are his daughter, Andrea K. Groft, and her husband, Wayne F. Groft; a son, Jonathan J. Nash; two grandsons, Christopher C. Groft and his wife, Michelle, Sean C. Groft and his wife, Karen; a brother, George Nash; a sister-in-law, Mary Nash; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Claude Nash, and a sister, Frances Ruppert.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 28, 2007, in Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, Bangor.

Graveside services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, August 4, 2007, at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, located on Hwy. 331 north of Bourbon, Indiana.

Gifts in his memory may be sent to Bangor Christian Schools, Steve Cheff, Science Department, 1476 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401; or to Adventures in Science, 8 George Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20877