Arthur B. (Bruce) Robertson

Arthur B. (Bruce) Robertson, 72, who worked in academia after carving out a long career with major chemical companies, died of a heart attack on May 26 while riding his bicycle near his home in Sumter, S.C.

Born in Huntington, W.Va., Robertson enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves, where he served for eight years as a rifleman. During this time, he received a B.S. in chemistry from Marshall University in Huntington in 1964 and a Ph.D. in polymer science from the University of Akron in 1968.

Robertson then spent 40 years in research and business development at global Fortune 500 companies, including Honeywell, Ausimont USA (now Solvay), and Engelhard (now BASF). He was named as a coinventor for more than 20 patents.

He retired in 2006 and moved to Lompoc, Calif., to be near family. Robertson taught polymer science and business technology at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. In 2010, he moved to Sumter to be near other family members. There he served as a professor of chemistry and physics at the University of South Carolina, Sumter. He joined ACS in 2002.

Robertson was an active member of the YMCA of Sumter, attended Holy Comforter Church, and volunteered at St. Anne Catholic School. He was a leader with Destination Imagination, an international problem-solving competition for young students.

He is survived by three sons and six grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 22 years, Ruth.