IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Robert Edward
Chrien
April 15, 1930 – October 7, 2016
Obituary
Robert Edward Chrien, age 86, of Bridgeport, CT (formerly of Bellport, New York), beloved husband of Susan V. Chrien, passed away peacefully on October 7, 2016.
Robert was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 15, 1930 to the late Fredrich and Anna Goraz Chrien. He was a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and obtained a Ph. D. from Case Institute of Technology. He met his wife, Susan, at Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church where they were married in 1953.
Robert worked as a senior physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York where he did research on nuclear physics and intermediate energy physics. He served as group leader for these two research areas. He also spent two years working as a Brookhaven representative at the Atomic Energy Laboratory in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. He was a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
His research included fundamental research on gamma rays from the capture of neutrons by nuclei and interaction of mesons with the nucleus. He led a team at Brookhaven that produced large numbers of doubly strange nuclei and studied their properties. He discovered second order nuclear transitions – the emission of two simultaneous successive gammas from neutron capture.
Robert was a long time member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Patchogue, New York. He served for many years as treasurer of the South Bay Art Association, President of the Citizens Council and President of the Bellport Community Action Committee.
Robert and his wife, Susan, moved to the Watermark Retirement Community in Bridgeport, CT in 2011. Robert became involved in the Residence Council and enjoyed teaching a popular "Science in the News" lecture at the Watermark University. He became a member of Salem Lutheran Church and would regularly attend services there.
His longtime passions include a love of classical music, reading, traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed going to the theatre, the symphony and book study groups. Every summer, Robert and his wife would spend a week of culture and retreat at Chautauqua Lake where they indulged their tastes for music, art, theatre, lectures and food. He enjoyed keeping in touch with friends from his past and would regularly visit friends and family whenever he traveled.
He is survived by his wife Susan and children Robert E. Chrien (wife Elisabeth) of Los Alamos, NM, Katherine S. Chrien (husband Harry Rogers) of Annapolis, MD, Elizabeth Zarrilli (husband Frederick) of Fairfield, CT and Thomas G. Chrien (wife Nadine) of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren Jennie (husband Steve Simpson), Natalie, Naomi, Jonathan, Zachary, and Justin.
A memorial service will be held next spring at Salem Lutheran Church, 3160 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to his church.
Robert was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 15, 1930 to the late Fredrich and Anna Goraz Chrien. He was a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and obtained a Ph. D. from Case Institute of Technology. He met his wife, Susan, at Dr. Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church where they were married in 1953.
Robert worked as a senior physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York where he did research on nuclear physics and intermediate energy physics. He served as group leader for these two research areas. He also spent two years working as a Brookhaven representative at the Atomic Energy Laboratory in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. He was a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
His research included fundamental research on gamma rays from the capture of neutrons by nuclei and interaction of mesons with the nucleus. He led a team at Brookhaven that produced large numbers of doubly strange nuclei and studied their properties. He discovered second order nuclear transitions – the emission of two simultaneous successive gammas from neutron capture.
Robert was a long time member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Patchogue, New York. He served for many years as treasurer of the South Bay Art Association, President of the Citizens Council and President of the Bellport Community Action Committee.
Robert and his wife, Susan, moved to the Watermark Retirement Community in Bridgeport, CT in 2011. Robert became involved in the Residence Council and enjoyed teaching a popular "Science in the News" lecture at the Watermark University. He became a member of Salem Lutheran Church and would regularly attend services there.
His longtime passions include a love of classical music, reading, traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed going to the theatre, the symphony and book study groups. Every summer, Robert and his wife would spend a week of culture and retreat at Chautauqua Lake where they indulged their tastes for music, art, theatre, lectures and food. He enjoyed keeping in touch with friends from his past and would regularly visit friends and family whenever he traveled.
He is survived by his wife Susan and children Robert E. Chrien (wife Elisabeth) of Los Alamos, NM, Katherine S. Chrien (husband Harry Rogers) of Annapolis, MD, Elizabeth Zarrilli (husband Frederick) of Fairfield, CT and Thomas G. Chrien (wife Nadine) of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren Jennie (husband Steve Simpson), Natalie, Naomi, Jonathan, Zachary, and Justin.
A memorial service will be held next spring at Salem Lutheran Church, 3160 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to his church.
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