Robert Stephen Grisetti
November 16, 1924 ~ March 26, 2022
Robert Stephen Grisetti
“Bob” (age 97)
Bob Grisetti went peacefully to the Lord on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at home in Herndon, VA. He was born on November 16, 1924, in San Diego, CA, to the late Amber (Durfee) Grisetti and Cecil Grisetti. From his parents, Bob inherited strong senses of ethics, responsibility, and wonder at the world around him. He loved classical music and opera. Bob also loved the outdoors, and became an avid Boy Scout as a youth, achieving the rank of Life Scout. Bob did his best to incorporate the principles of the Scout Oath into his daily life. Bob was the consummate gentleman. As the son and grandson of English coachbuilders he was born to be an engineer, and had a life-long fascination with automobiles, railroads and aeronautics.
Bob graduated from San Diego’s Herbert Hoover High School as Salutatorian in 1943 and enlisted in the US Army Air Forces, where he fulfilled assignments in meteorology, weather observation and radio direction finding systems. Upon discharge in 1946, Bob attended University of California at Berkeley (Cal) to study Electrical Engineering. Bob joined the Treble Clef Glee Club, where he met a charming and beautiful girl named Consuelo (Connie) Jones. Bob and Connie were engaged within 6 weeks and married just six months later, in December 1946. Bob enjoyed 70 years of marriage to his cherished wife Connie, who predeceased him in 2017.
Bob received his Electrical Engineering BS in 1948 and MS in 1950 from Cal and had an impactful career with several firms. He spent 18 years with General Electric primarily in the defense and aerospace sectors. After completing the demanding GE Advanced Engineering Course, he worked on many difficult assignments, including managing the development of the Atlas ICBM radio guidance and system designs, helping NASA plan the first US manned space program (Project Mercury). Bob ultimately became Program Manager of Apollo (Manned Lunar Program) Reliability Assessment and then of GE’s Apollo Program Support for NASA headquarters and manned space flight centers.
Bob spent the remainder of his career in telecommunications. He spent eight years with Western Union (WU) as Vice President of Systems Projects and led successful programs for the computerization of the WU national network and development of new data communications services. Bob then served several years as head of system engineering for General Dynamics’ telecom division (Stromberg Carlson), before finally ending his career with 12 years in his “dream job” as a telecommunications consultant with international consulting firm Arthur D. Little. Bob led numerous large projects with ADL, including modernization of the telephone systems in Egypt, the Philippines and Puerto Rico, as well as for the US Treasury Department.
Bob and Connie Grisetti lived together with their children in upstate New York, Ormond Beach, FL, Franklin Lakes, NJ, Great Falls, VA, Pittsford, NY, Wellesley Hills, MA, as well as in Cairo, Egypt and Manila, Philippines, before moving in retirement to Northern Virginia in 2001. Bob is survived by his devoted children Stephen (Joann) Grisetti, Robin (Tom) Hilliard, and Paul Grisetti, and 5 grandchildren Amber, Robert, James, Timothy, and Mark. Bob is also survived by many loving extended family members and friends. A funeral service will be held at St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 402 East Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Quantico National Cemetery on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland Church.
“Bob” (age 97)
Bob Grisetti went peacefully to the Lord on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at home in Herndon, VA. He was born on November 16, 1924, in San Diego, CA, to the late Amber (Durfee) Grisetti and Cecil Grisetti. From his parents, Bob inherited strong senses of ethics, responsibility, and wonder at the world around him. He loved classical music and opera. Bob also loved the outdoors, and became an avid Boy Scout as a youth, achieving the rank of Life Scout. Bob did his best to incorporate the principles of the Scout Oath into his daily life. Bob was the consummate gentleman. As the son and grandson of English coachbuilders he was born to be an engineer, and had a life-long fascination with automobiles, railroads and aeronautics.
Bob graduated from San Diego’s Herbert Hoover High School as Salutatorian in 1943 and enlisted in the US Army Air Forces, where he fulfilled assignments in meteorology, weather observation and radio direction finding systems. Upon discharge in 1946, Bob attended University of California at Berkeley (Cal) to study Electrical Engineering. Bob joined the Treble Clef Glee Club, where he met a charming and beautiful girl named Consuelo (Connie) Jones. Bob and Connie were engaged within 6 weeks and married just six months later, in December 1946. Bob enjoyed 70 years of marriage to his cherished wife Connie, who predeceased him in 2017.
Bob received his Electrical Engineering BS in 1948 and MS in 1950 from Cal and had an impactful career with several firms. He spent 18 years with General Electric primarily in the defense and aerospace sectors. After completing the demanding GE Advanced Engineering Course, he worked on many difficult assignments, including managing the development of the Atlas ICBM radio guidance and system designs, helping NASA plan the first US manned space program (Project Mercury). Bob ultimately became Program Manager of Apollo (Manned Lunar Program) Reliability Assessment and then of GE’s Apollo Program Support for NASA headquarters and manned space flight centers.
Bob spent the remainder of his career in telecommunications. He spent eight years with Western Union (WU) as Vice President of Systems Projects and led successful programs for the computerization of the WU national network and development of new data communications services. Bob then served several years as head of system engineering for General Dynamics’ telecom division (Stromberg Carlson), before finally ending his career with 12 years in his “dream job” as a telecommunications consultant with international consulting firm Arthur D. Little. Bob led numerous large projects with ADL, including modernization of the telephone systems in Egypt, the Philippines and Puerto Rico, as well as for the US Treasury Department.
Bob and Connie Grisetti lived together with their children in upstate New York, Ormond Beach, FL, Franklin Lakes, NJ, Great Falls, VA, Pittsford, NY, Wellesley Hills, MA, as well as in Cairo, Egypt and Manila, Philippines, before moving in retirement to Northern Virginia in 2001. Bob is survived by his devoted children Stephen (Joann) Grisetti, Robin (Tom) Hilliard, and Paul Grisetti, and 5 grandchildren Amber, Robert, James, Timothy, and Mark. Bob is also survived by many loving extended family members and friends. A funeral service will be held at St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 402 East Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Quantico National Cemetery on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland Church.
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A Gentleman. Fondly remembered.
Sending love and prayers for my Uncle Bob and his family. My memories of Uncle Bob are from his time while working on the guidence system for Nasa Apollo rockets. My mom, Jan Grisetti Speicher, Bob’s sister, was proud of her brother.