Robert Gongaware
Robert Watson Gongaware, age 88 of Delaware, OH, passed away Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Grady Memorial Hospital.
He was born November 25, 1936, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania to Robert Franklin Gongaware and Evelyn Elizabeth Kuba Gongaware. Robert was raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and was class Salutatorian at Latrobe High School.
Even before high school, he had wanted to be a military pilot. When he realized his poor eyesight would never allow that career path, he turned his attention to building aircraft. Summer jobs at the Martin Company in Baltimore and Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica fueled his interest in engineering. He graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and joined North American Aviation (later, Rockwell Inc) in Columbus.
For 12 years he participated in computer-based simulation studies, aircraft design and analysis, found time to gain a private pilot license, earned an MBA from The Ohio State University, and met a couple of the original seven astronauts.
With Rockwell closing their facility in Columbus, Robert took a job with Industrial Nucleonics (later Accuray, then ABB) which turned into a 30-year career developing customized process control systems and managing programmer groups in development of application and system software.
He resided in Bexley for 40 years before moving to Delaware in 2009. He was a great fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. He loved to travel and visited most of our national parks.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Gongaware: sons James (Marcia) Gongaware of Idaho Springs, CO and Dr. Timothy Gongaware of La Crosse WI: grandsons William (Kate) Gongaware and Aaron Gongaware: brother Thomas (Pam Kohl) Gongaware of Raleigh, NC; sister Joyce (Alfred) Sanfilippo of Greensburg, PA; and in-laws Rick and Karen Kemerer of Reston, VA; Paul and Linda Kemerer of St. Augustine, FL; and William and Jane Kemerer of Brooksville, FL; and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his first wife Barbara Gongaware.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to the nurses and doctors of Ohio Health Grady Memorial Hospital, and most especially to the staff of Willow Brook Run for the care and concern they have extended to Robert and Ginny their many years.
A memorial service for family, friends, and acquaintances is being organized and will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Robert Gongaware may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Donations may be made at www.parkinson.org.
The Snyder Funeral Homes, Delaware Chapel, is honored to serve the Gongaware family in their time of need.