Robert Routh

Robert W. Routh, a Livermore resident and Lab retiree, died April 18. He was 90.

Born Sept. 18, 1919, in New York, he was the second son of James and Caroline Routh. He was raised in San Diego and lived the last 53 years in Livermore.

Routh, along with his brother James, attended UC Berkeley where they were members of the Phi Tau fraternity.

He earned his degree in biochemistry and did graduate work prior to working in the chemistry labs at Standard Oil in Point Richmond, Calif., where he met his future wife, Laura Cook. He then worked for Cutter Laboratories in Emeryville as head of the department manufacturing penicillin. Later, he headed the department making the polio vaccine.

In 1957, Routh joined LLNL. He worked in the Human Resources Department for many years. He retired in 1984 after 27 years.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, no matter what the event or activity, and working with his hands. He remodeled every family home, often with his father-in-law, Marshall Cook.

Routh also became an excellent ceramicist, perfecting the art of Raku. He enjoyed sharing his love of the high mountains of the Pacific Northwest during family vacations, camping and fishing. He joined a group of fellow backpacking enthusiasts, the “Yuks,” for annual backpacking trips in the Sierra Mountains.

He is survived by his wife, Laura Cook Routh; daughters, Susan Routh Bowman of Nashville, Tenn. and Kacy Routh of Livermore; grandchildren Brandy Kwan of Castro Valley, Tracy Lautenslager of the UK, Robert Lautenslager of Alameda; and nine great-grandchildren.

Friends and family are invited to a life celebration in Routh’s honor on Saturday, May 8, at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Vasco Road in Livermore.