Robert Weis

Robert Edward Weis, son of Edward Oliver Weis and Clara McMillan Weis was born on May 11, 1918 in Donaldson, Arkansas. The family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas and Bob received his early education in the Little Rock schools, and graduated from Little Rock High School in 1935. Along the way Bob earned money by selling the Liberty Magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, delivering the Arkansas Gazette, and selling snacks to downtown office workers. Bob graduated from Little Rock Junior College in 1937 and from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1939 earning a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. In 1941 he received his Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was awarded membership in Phi Lambda Upsilon, Tau Beta Pi and Phi Theta Kappa, national honorary scholastic chemistry and Chemical Engineering fraternities. Bob began his professional career with Phillips Petroleum Company of Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1941 in the Research and Development Department. He worked at Hamm Plant and the Burbank facilities of the R&D Department and later at Borger, Texas, as a product development engineer of specialty chemicals manufactured in small quantities in pilot plants. On March 7, 1948 Bob married Adrienne Hitchcock in McAlester, Oklahoma, and they moved to Phillips, Texas where he became Superintendent of Philtex Experiment Station. In 1953 Bob transferred to Bartlesville to supervise the development of a new plastics process and played a key role in developing "Marlex" into a commercially successful product. After working as director of the Process Optimization Department of Applied Automation, he was named Coordinator of Facilities, Planning, Research and Development Projects. In 1984 Bob retired after a 43year career with Phillips Petroleum Company. He was a Registered Professional Engineer and a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Always a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America Bob became locally active in Scouting in 1964 as a Troop 15 committee member. He served as Chairman of the Osage Hills District, District Camping and Activities Chairman, Troop Committee Chairman, Scouting Coordinator for First Presbyterian Church, and Executive Board member of the Cherokee Area Council. For several summers he attended adult leadership training at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. In 1976 he received the Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service to youth and Scouting. His three sons, Robert, John and Larry, achieved Eagle ranking. Bob was a 56 year Rotarian. He first joined Rotary in 1952 in Borger, Texas, and in 1954 the Bartlesville Rotary Club. He was President of the downtown club in 1969 -70. He became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1984. Bob has been a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church, and has served as a Deacon and an Elder and an advisor to Youth Fellowship. Bob was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Adrienne of 60 years and children: Anita Mapes and husband Jim, of Austin, Texas; Robert H. Weis and wife Janice of Blackfoot, Idaho; John H. Weis and wife Janis of Salt Lake City, Utah; Lawrence A.Weis and wife Sheila of Littleton, Colorado. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren: Jennifer Elsebaie of Chicago, Illinois; Rebekka Mapes of Phoenix, Arizona; Robert C. Weis of Idaho Falls, Idaho; David H. Weis of Moscow, Idaho; Allison M. Weis of Portland, Oregon; and Julie F. Weis of Nelson, British Colombia; and 1 step grandson, Cameron Rice, of Littleton Colorado. He is also survived by his aunt, MaeBelle Tornow of Helena, Ohio, cousins: Don, Paul, James, Betty Tornow, Fay Martin all of Ohio; Elizabeth Gorman of Little Rock, Arkansas and James Stewart of San Antonio, Texas

Service Details

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 2:00pm, First Presbyterian Church - Bartlesville