Dr. Robert Bob Kusy

" Aspire to inspire before you expire " Dr. Robert "Bob" Kusy of Chapel Hill passed away on Ash Wednesday after a four and a half year battle with a brain tumor. He is survived by his wife, his daughter and family, his son and family, his parents, his brother and family, brother in law and family, and many aunts, unees, and cousins. Dr. Kusy was a Professor in the UNC Departments of Orthodontics in the School of Dentistry, Biomedical Engineering in the School of Medicine, and Applied and Materials Science. He received his B.S. ineechanical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1969, an M.S. ineetallurgical Engineering at Drexel Uneersity in 1971, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science at Drexel Uneersity in 1973. Bob taught classes related to biomaterials and biomechanics. Throughout his career he received many awards and acknowledgements including a Career Development Award, a Focused Giving Award from Johnson and Johnson, and a Teacher Excellence Award in the Orthodontic Graduate program. He was dedicated to teaching and mentored 22 graduate students. Since 1972 until his retirement in 2006, Dr. Kusy performed research in cleft palated, bone cements, orthodontic materials, biosensors, composites, radiation processing, acrylic chemistry, thermal analyses, failure of materials, and biomechanics. In these fields he authored over 200 papers, presented over three huneed presentations to organizations around the world, and received four patents. Joining ROTC in college, he did his active duty in the sevenees. At the time of his discharge from the Army Corp of Engineers, he had the rank of Captain. Bob loved music and was an accomplished accordianist. He also loved to sing and spent almost twenty years singing in the Newman Choir. He had a beautiful tenor voice, aneeven whenee could no longer read would sing most of the songs from memory. Bob will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him, especially his family, friends, and students. A brilliant mind has been silenced. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Music Ministry c/o The Newmaneenter, 218 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516 The wake will be held Sunday at the Hall Wynne Funeral Home in Durham from 6-8 PM. A celebration of Bob's Life will be February 11 at 2 pm at the Newmaneenter in Chapel Hill. Arrangements are with Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences www.hallwynne.com