Richard Douglas Schile

Dr. Richard Schile died 29 January 2023 supported by family and the compassionate care of Ohio Hospice. He resided near his daughter, Teresa DeVore, where he moved after the passing of his beloved wife, Christine Ann of 59 years, on 12 November 2012. His passion for building and flying model airplanes as a child set him on a career path in the aeronautics industry. He graduated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a BA in Aeronautical Engineering, (June 1953) followed by military service in the U.S. Navy. He served as an officer in the Pacific fleet (1953-1955) on the Destroyer Escort, the USS Edmonds. He returned to Rensselaer to earn an MS in Mechanical Engineering (Jan 1957) followed by employment with the Advanced Materials Engineering Group, United Aircraft Corporation, Research Laboratories, East Hartford, Connecticut. He completed a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer in January 1967. He then moved into academia and served on the faculty at the Thayer School of Engineering of Dartmouth College and subsequently at the University of Bridgeport. He was a teacher at his core and loved innovative engineering design.
George Beach, a cousin, introduced him to wood working in his youth. As an engineer, he perfected this craft by renovating his homes, building furniture, and later in life designing and building hand crafted classical guitars. He loved to garden, grow his own vegetables, and was an amateur chef preparing artful meals. He will be missed by his three daughters, Teresa DeVore (Jeff), Carol Schile-Meyer (Glenn), Linda Schile-Bradley (Ken), and four grandchildren, Nicholette and Daniella Meyer and Naomi and Nathan Bradley.
Contributions to his memory may be made to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at https://giving.rpi.edu/.