Robert Denny “Bob” McAuliffe, 78, , a structural engineer, real estate developer and project manager, died Sept. 21 of acute myeloid leukemia at his home in Chestnut Hill.
In his long career, Mr. McAuliffe had been involved in the design of large civil engineering projects that included housing, factories, office buildings, sewage treatment facilities water supply, and marine facilities worldwide.
He retired in 2005 as director of business administration for the Council Rock School District, where he where he completed development and construction of the new Council Rock High School South, a new elementary school, and renovations of an existing high school and a historic building for the district’s administration offices.
Earlier he was senior vice president and manager of the Property Services Division of the Jackson-Cross Company in Philadelphia. He also had been managing director of engineering for American Can Company.
Early in his career, he was the developer of the King of Prussia Industrial Park, the Pureland Industrial Complex in Bridgeport, N.J., and the Commodore 295 Business Center in Swedesboro, N.J.
Mr. McAuliffe was born in Milton, N.J. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with BS and MS degrees in civil and environmental engineering, and from Harvard University with an MBA and an MS in organizational psychology. He had many academic honors and awards.
After graduating from MIT, he enlisted in the Navy, graduated from the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School, and was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. He volunteered for assignment with the Navy Seabees, and after receiving Marine infantry training at Camp Pendleton, Calif., joined a battalion assigned to Guantanamo Cuba during the “Bay of Pigs,” invasion, becoming a company commander at 23 He later served with his battalion in Spain, and with the staff of the Chief of Civil Engineers (USN) during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam build-up.
An avid flyer, he was the owner of three airplanes. He earned both his private license and his commercial, instrument and flight instructor ratings. He served for many years as vice president of the Philadelphia area chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association and built an RV8, a high performance, 200 mph, acrobatic all-metal plane.
Sailing also was a lifelong passion for Mr. McAuliffe, who kept sailboats in Boston Harbor and later at his home in Chatham on Cape Cod.
He took up competitive rowing at the age of 50, pulling a single shell for the Undine Barge Club in major races for nearly 30 years.
Mr. McAuliffe was for many years a lay minister at Our Mother of Consolation Church, serving on the School Advisory Board and Building Committee.
He served as President of the MIT Club of Northern New Jersey and was president of his neighborhood association on Cape Cod. He was a founder and director of the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks, and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lydia; daughters Ingrid McAuliffe and Kirsten Raleigh; a sister, Edith Galvin; and two grandsons.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 1 at Our Mother of Consolation Church. Memorial donations may be made to the Alpha-1 Foundation at alpha-1foundation.org/help or to Our Mother of Consolation Church at 9 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118 – WF
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