Burton Rosenbaum

Burt M. Rosenbaum December 11, 1923 - March 30, 2015 Burt Melvin Rosenbaum, age 91, died at HopeWest Hospice Care Center on March 30, 2015, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Born in the Bronx, New York City, he graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in June, 1940, at the age of 16. In 1944, he graduated magna cum laude from the College of the City of New York (CCNY) with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree, first in a class of 52 graduates. Immediately thereafter, Burt and five fellow engineers were inducted into the Army with orders to report to NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), which became NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in 1958. Burt remained at Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, for the next 30 years. During that time he published about 30 applied mathematics research papers with emphasis on statistics, and co-authored a textbook with Marvin E. Goldstein, entitled "Introduction to Abstract Analysis". Several of Burt's papers contributed to NASA's successful Apollo 11 moon landing, July 20, 1969, for which he received the Apollo Achievement Award. Vowing to acquire a doctorate degree by age 35, Burt continued his studies at Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University) on a Standard Oil Fellowship while working, marrying and starting a family. In June, 1957, just six months shy of his 35th birthday, Burt received his Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics, successfully defending his thesis: "Statistical Foundations of Irreversible Thermodynamics". Throughout his years at NASA, Burt taught night classes at Fenn College (now Cleveland State University) and undergraduate courses at Case Institute. After retiring from NASA in 1973, Burt and his new family moved to Georgia where he taught at then-Gordon Junior College and Barnesville Academy. In 1977, he and his family moved farther south to Florida, accepting an adjunct position at the University of Tampa. For the final nine years of his second career, Burt remained at Saint Leo College (now Saint Leo University) teaching mathematics, statistics, physics and computer science until 1994. Burt was predeceased by his beloved mother, Frances and father, Irving; sister and brother-in-law, Ronni and Jack Nathanson and their daughter, Sheila Newman; brother-in-law, Sidney Shertzer; son, Todd; and former wife of 20 years, Jeanne Gould Rosenbaum. Burt is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sue and daughter, Fara Anson (Steve) of Grand Junction, CO; daughter, Dr. Laura Rosenbaum-Bloom (Marty) of Hilton Head, SC; son, Steven Mark of Indianapolis, IN; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Survivors also include his sister, Terry Shertzer of Morehead City, NC, and her sons, Dr. Howard Shertzer (Ellen) and Jeffrey Shertzer (Elaine) of Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts honoring Burt can be made to Rosenbaum Memorial Tree Fund, c/o Bank of the West, 2452 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81505 or HopeWest Hospice 3090B North 12th St, Grand Junction, CO 81506. To send condolences: brownscremationservice.com. A private family service has already been held. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gjsentinel/obituary