Robert Alan Blickenstaff, 75
Robert Alan Blickenstaff died peacefully surrounded by his family on Dec. 31, 2016, in Barrington, Illinois.
Born in Virginia on March 29, 1941, he was a man of great integrity who always persevered to achieve the best in all that he did.
After graduation from The Hill School in Pennsylvania, he attended Princeton University where he received a degree in 1963 in chemical engineering and a commission in the U.S. Army as a 2nd lieutenant.
He continued his education earning a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University. Following graduation, he served one year in Vietnam, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.
He joined the DuPont Company, where he worked for over 30 years in various positions, from research engineer in the Textile Fibers Department to general manager of DuPont Philippines to president of the joint venture DuPont Lanxide Composites. When he retired, he formed a consulting business that focused on leading organizations through challenges such as mergers and building projects.
Throughout his life, he was actively involved in his community. He served on the Parents Committee of the Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware, (which his children attended) and on the Princeton Alumni Schools Committee, which interviews candidates for admission to the university. More recently, he applied his strategic planning skills to help the Glacier Symphony and Chorale achieve its fundraising goals for its Silver Season Campaign. He also served on the board of Kalispell Regional Hospital and on the Building Committee for the new City Hall in Whitefish.
Building and design were his avocations, and during his life he designed three homes for his family, including his dream home in the mountains of Montana where he and his wife retired. He loved hosting friends from across the country and sharing his love of nature with his grandchildren during “Gramp Camp” adventures.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Rebecca; his daughter, Leslie Blickenstaff, of Brookline, Massachusetts; his son, David Blickenstaff, daughter-in-law Jenny, grandson Henry, and granddaughter Kelsey, of Evanston, Illinois; and his sister, Joan Goldsmith, of Modesto, California.
The family suggests that contributions in his name be made to the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, P.O. Box 2491, Kalispell, MT 59903 (http://www.gscmusic.org/donations-and-sustaining-support/); or the Glacier National Park Conservancy, P.O. Box 2749, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 (https://glacier.org/donate/).
A celebration of his life will be held in Barrington, Illinois, in the spring.