Robert C. Hitchcock

Robert Charles Hitchcock, age 99, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on December 16, 2021.

Robert was born July 21, 1922 in Oshkosh, WI to the late Robert and Ella Hitchcock.  In 1947 he married Mary Louise (Maryl) Thompson and together they shared 75 wonderful years.  Following graduation from Oshkosh East High School in January 1941, Robert attended Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.  While at ITT he enlisted in the Signal Corps Reserve.  World War II was in progress and he studied radar technology – a new field at the time.  There he began teaching Signal Corps Officers radar technology.  After basic training at Camp Crowder, Robert, and his team of 4 other specialists were sent by the Air Force to Camp Murphy, FL and then flew to Australia to study air borne radar.  From there they went to New Guinea and the Philippines, spending the rest of their time in the jungles.  Following his discharge, Robert enrolled at Oshkosh State College, transferring to University of Wisconsin – Madison under the GI Bill to major in Electrical Engineering, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree.  Upon graduation in 1950, he was employed by Wisconsin Public Service in Green Bay, starting his career as a cadet engineer, and retiring after 37 years as power systems engineering supervisor.  In this capacity he focused on all the company’s protection and control systems for power plants and substations and transmission line terminal equipment.  When he retired, his long-range modernization effort was essentially completed.

Throughout his career, Robert was active in professional organizations.  He held national leadership positions with both the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the Edison Electric Institute.

Robert is survived by his wife, Maryl and 2 daughters, Ann and Alison and grandchildren, James, Jeanene (husband Chappell), Jeremy, Mirra and Julia (husband Trever) and a great-granddaughter, Alice.

He was preceded in death by his brother Kermit, sister Shirley and son David.

A private family service will be held in the spring.