Robert Kenneth Mcmordie

Robert Kenneth McMordie ("Mac"), 77, died August 18, 2010. He was born December 30, 1932, in Austin, Texas, to Warren and Mamie McMordie. With the exception of a few years when the family lived in Illinois, he grew up in Fort Worth where his love for all things Texas – especially the Texas Longhorns and Texas Barbeque – undoubtedly was born.

Robert graduated from Robert Lee Paschal High School in 1950, then earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1955. Soon after graduation, he headed for Venezuela where he worked for Humble Oil and met his boss's daughter, Janie Bodenhamer. They married in New Orleans on June 5, 1957, then lived in Austin, Texas where Robert earned his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas on June 6, 1959. Soon after, Robert, his bride, and the first two of six daughters moved to Seattle where he began his mechanical engineering career at Boeing.

While working at Boeing, Robert earned his doctorate at the University of Washington in 1965. Dr. McMordie then moved his family, including two new daughters, to Laramie, Wyoming where he was a professor at the University of Wyoming for over four years. His two youngest daughters were born in Laramie and it was during this time that he bought the four acres of land in Centennial, Wyoming where he and Janie would retire years later.

Robert accepted a position with Martin Marietta and moved to Lakewood, Colorado in 1969. At Martin, he was a principal engineer on the Viking Mission to Mars – one of the most influential and impressive achievements of his career. The Viking Mission was headed by NASA with the goal of sending a spacecraft to Mars to study the composition of the planet's atmosphere and surface. Robert led the team that engineered the thermal protection of the Viking. The Viking Lander successfully touched down on Mars on July 20, 1976, and is now a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Robert went on to teach spacecraft design courses at the University of Colorado after he retired from Martin Marietta. It has been said on more than one occasion that, "Mac is truly a Rocket Scientist!" The day before he started cancer treatment in June of 2010, Robert completed what would be his last book, Solar Energy Fundamentals.

Robert joins his beloved wife, Janie, in death. He is survived by his brother Frank and sister-in-law Susan and his daughters Laurie McMordie Sterner, Cynthia Hersch, Robin McMordie Emery, Michelle Brown, Carol Ann Feezell, and Katie McMordie Stoughton.

He is also survived by Judy Lewis, whom he loved and cherished during the last four years of his life. Judy did not leave his side until they were separated by death. She is and will remain a member of the McMordie family.

Many others loved and will miss him including – 6 son-in-laws: Phillip Sterner, Bob Hersch, Grant Emery, Mitch Brown, Travis Feezell, and Bob Stoughton; 13 grandchildren: Christopher Michael, Matthew and Benjamin (and wife, Michele) Peterson; Jesse Lewis; Christopher and Jonah Hersch; Timothy (and wife, Mellissa) Ruiz Brown; Nathanial Brown; Jackson, Delaney, Colby and Cooper Feezell; and Shanti Stoughton; and his nieces and nephews: Bruce, Douglas, Mary Ann, Claud, Wendy, Jennifer and Chris. He has 4 great-grandchildren and one on the way.

Robert was known as "Mac" to many people. He loved his family and friends, hunting and fishing in the Rocky Mountains, and watching the Denver Broncos and Texas Longhorns play football. He truly lived by the golden rule and kept his sense of humor until the end of his life. And as long as he was able, he thanked each and every individual who contributed to his care at the hospital where his treatment began and the hospice where his life ended.

Please join us as we remember and honor Mac. The memorial service will be followed by a celebration of his life with music, dancing and a traditional Texas barbeque.

Saturday, August 28, 2010 – 1:00 p.m.

Memorial Service
The Barn at the Nici Self Museum
2734 Highway 130
Centennial, WY 82055

Celebration of Life
Beartree Tavern & Café (back patio)
2768 Highway 130
Centennial, WY 82055

(Casual attire)

Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Porter Hospice Foundation.

Online –
www.porterhospicefoundation.org

Phone –
(303) 561-5773 (Anna Pinelli)

Mail –
Porter Hospice Foundation
ATTN: Kathy Repola
1391 Speer Blvd., Ste. 600
Denver, CO 80204