It is with great sadness that the children of Robert O’Neal DeWitt announce his passing on May 4, 2023. Bob was born on June 27, 1936, to Neal and Mary DeWitt in Lake Charles, La. Throughout his childhood he had an immense curiosity in science and was even called “little professor” by his grandfather, Frances DeWitt. Bob left Lake Charles to attend Southwest Louisiana Institute to major in physics, along the way marrying the love of his life, Patricia Faye Webb of Westlake. The launch of Sputnik spurred his commitment to become a part of the U.S. space program which was a driving force throughout his life. After graduating from S.L.I., Bob and Pat left Louisiana and headed to the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, where he worked with top scientists in rocketry. Wanting to continue his studies, he moved his growing family to North Carolina and then to Virginia to continue his work and education. He was a theoretical physicist for the Department of Defense and later the Department of Energy, publishing many scientific articles while earning his Masters and PhD in physics at American University in Washington, D.C. He loved teaching and in the evenings he taught at the community colleges and other universities in the Northern Virginia area. Upon retirement, he and Pat moved to Altoona, PA where they restored an historical old home and Bob found a job teaching at Penn State-Altoona.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Pat; and his sister, Patsy VanSickle.

He leaves behind his children, Elizabeth DeWitt, David DeWitt and wife Ellen, Catherine DeWitt Cecil and husband Jimmy, and Carolyn DeWitt; 11 grandchildren, Sara Beyer, Samuel Gillis, Oliver Fields; Jeanette DeWitt-Kyle, Steven DeWitt, Emily Fruge, Katie DeWitt; Laura Cecil Gifford, Justin Cecil; and Austin and Ryan Mellon; seven great-grandchildren, Abraham and Joan Kyle; Silas Fruge; Freya DeWitt; Michael and Madelynn Gifford; and Justin Cecil Jr. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten. A private family service was held as per his request.