Robert J. Jennings

On the evening of June 20, 2023, Robert “Bob” John Jennings, 80, of Olney, MD passed away peacefully after a brief illness, with his wife and two daughters by his side.

Bob was born in Minnesota in 1942 to Gordon and Kathryn (Albertson) Jennings. The family moved shortly thereafter to Los Angeles, CA, where Bob grew up. He graduated from University High School in west L.A. He then attended Occidental College in L.A., where he and wife Helene met, and he majored in both physics and mathematics. He earned a Master’s degree in Physics from UCLA, fueled mostly by an interest in making cars go fast, but became more interested in conducting physics experiments while working at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Bay Area before returning to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Physics from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.

After completing his doctorate, his career as a research physicist took him and Helene to São Paulo, Brazil, where he made lifelong colleagues and friends at the University of São Paulo and where daughter Alicia was born. Upon returning to the states, he gained more experience working on the physics of medical imaging at the University of Wisconsin, Madison as a postdoctoral researcher. In 1977, Bob began the career that would bring the family to Olney, working for the next 40 years as a physicist with the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the Food and Drug Administration. In his work there, he and colleagues made important contributions to advancing the physics of medical imaging, particularly mammography. However, he was always quick to point out that his most important accomplishments of all were his two daughters, Alicia and Megan.

Throughout his life, Bob enjoyed being outside with his family, including fishing, skiing, and gardening in the yard he carefully tended for 45 years. He pursued interests in grape growing and wine making, first with a home vineyard and eventually a property in Germantown, MD, and was an active member of the Maryland Grape Growers Association for many years. As a computer programmer from the early days of computing in the 1970s, he maintained an interest in computers and technology, including building a Raspberry Pi computer to compare notes with granddaughter Annie. Bob also loved listening to and sharing music, particularly jazz, Bossa Nova, classical, and anything his daughters were singing. His kind spirit, thoughtful nature, and sense of humor will be missed by those whose lives he touched.

Bob is preceded in death by his father Gordon, mother Kay, and brother Bill. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Helene (Murphy) Jennings, daughters Alicia Jennings (Michael Mershon) of Bethesda, MD and Megan Jennings (Erik Stamm) of San Diego, CA, grandchildren Jack and Annie Mershon, sister Sue (Jennings) Johnson, a niece, and many nephews and cousins.

No services are planned but those wishing to honor Bob can do so by making a donation to Montgomery Hospice's Casey House where he was so thoughtfully cared for in his final days.

An extended oral history of his career and scientific work is available from the American Institute of Physics. 

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