ROBERT ‘BOB’ BOLAND Sept. 11, 1937 – Nov. 24, 2020
- Robert “Bob” Boland who died on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 in Albuquerque, NM was born September 11, 1937 to Willard Roy Boland and Mary Pauline Mitchell Boland, in Winter Haven, Florida.
He earned his B.S. at Davidson College in North Carolina. His professional life was especially interesting. After graduating from Davidson, he was employed at NASA in Hampton, Virginia, where he met his wife of 60 years, Beryl Ann Pope. While with NASA, he was a member of the 3-person team which proved the feasibility of the mission to the moon.
Leaving NASA for graduate study, he earned his M.S. at the College of William and Mary in Virginia and his Ph.D at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Later he found University teaching, first at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA and then at Clemson University in South Carolina, a joy and a challenge.
In 1981 he was recruited to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory of the University of California in New Mexico. Research, mathematical libraries, and computer consulting were all fantastic experiences while at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. His last major scientific project was to run the only true 3D calculation of a simulated nuclear explosion in the DOE ASCI program. He generated enough data to fill the Library of Congress 17 times and that is why his nickname was “Dr. Terabyte”.
After retiring from LANL, he enjoyed the gypsy lifestyle, living and traveling in an RV with his best friend, Ann for eleven years. The first year they drove from Florida to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Fairbanks, Alaska (and flew to Barrow), and then back to central Florida for the winter. Ultimately, they traveled to all but one of the 50 states.
He beat the “Big C’ but was not able to overcome Alzheimer’s. He spent the last five years of his life being well cared for at The Woodmark at Uptown in Albuquerque.
A faithful life-long Methodist, Bob served his church in many capacities. He also supported Los Alamos Swim Team and New Mexico Swimming.
Bob leaves behind his wife, Ann; his two sons, Eric and Kevin; and three grandchildren, Ryan Richard Scarberry, Patrick Ryan Boland and Riley Ann Boland; his sister, Janice Boland Smallwood Smith and her husband Robert; and his brother, Charles Arthur Boland and his wife Joanne; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Please visit the online guestbook for Robert at www.FrenchFunerals.com.
FRENCH – Lomas, 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE, (505) 275-3500, www.frenchfunerals.com
