Dear Colleagues,

I am sorry to inform that our distinguished alumnus and major benefactor, Mr. Robert T. Henson (BSChE ’36) passed away yesterday morning in Atlanta. He founded Flexible Products Company in 1951. By the time it was sold to Dow Chemical in 2000, it had grown to become one of the largest polyurethane suppliers in North America.  Bob received the School’s OChE award in 1989.

The Robert T. Henson Atrium in Forney Hall was named in recognition of the Hensons’ generosity to the School of Chemical Engineering. They received the President’s Council Distinguished Pinnacle Award in the atrium during “The Campaign for Purdue” celebration on June 30, 2007.

I visited with Bob and Coc, and later only him after she passed away in 2010, annually in December for many years at their Atlanta home.  You may recall that his 100^th birthday was celebrated on October 11, 2014, which I had the pleasure to attend.  The attached story about Bob and the celebration was published in our Spring 2015 School newsletter.

The funeral ceremony will be held in Atlanta this Saturday – David Williams will attend to represent our School.  

Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob’s family.

Arvind

Arvind Varma

R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor

Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering

Purdue University