Robert Edward Fruin

A Mass of Christian Burial for Robert E. Fruin, III will be celebrated on Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 2:00pm at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, Aiken. Visitation will be Wednesday at George Funeral Homes Historic Downtown Chapel, 211 Park Ave. SW Aiken, SC from 6-8pm. Interment will be in All Saints Cemetery, DesPlaines, IL on Saturday, February 19th at 9:30am. Memorial donations may be directed to Hitchcock Hospice, 690 Medical Park Dr. Aiken, SC 29801 or St. Vincent DePaul Society, PO Box 438 Aiken, SC 29802.

Mr. Fruin, 74, of Aiken, died Monday, February 14, 2005 at his residence. A son of the late Robert E. Jr. and Mildred Travis Fruin, he was born in Chicago. IL and had lived in Decatur, IL before moving to Aiken in 1997.

Mr. Fruin graduated cum laude from Notre Dame University in 1952 and then earned his master?s degree in physical Chemistry at Loyola University in Chicago. He served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict, working in nerve gas research.

He retired as the director of productivity for Essex Wire Corp, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. In 1991, Robert was the recipient of the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, presented by the United States Department of Commerce. He was a communicant of St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church in Aiken and was a member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society. He enjoyed playing golf and tennis and spending time in the garden with his wife.

He is predeceased by a son, Eric Joseph Fruin, who died in 1964. He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Monica Brodbeck Fruin, four sons, Robert S. Fruin, Eugene, OR, Michael T. Fruin, Eugene, OR Paul A. Fruin, Moraga, CA and John K. Fruin, St. Louis, MO, a daughter; Mary Elizabeth Sterrenberg, Madison, GA, a sister; Patricia Hayes, Itasca, IL and ten grandchildren.