Robert D. Thomson, age 91, of Zellwood Station, Zellwood, FL, retired Regional Director for the US Bureau of Mines and Associate Professor at Frostburg State University, passed away on May 11, 2017.

Robert was born in Clearfield, PA, where he attended public school and graduated with honors having been an active participant of the baseball and wrestling teams, school band and orchestra. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps with the 15th Air Force in Italy and Germany. After the war, he attended Penn State University and earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and a Master of Science (MS) degree (1951 & 1952, respectively) from the College of Earth & Mineral Sciences. Later, Robert subsequently further earned his doctorate (Ph.D.) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Robert married Merlyn Jane Bowers of Clearfield, PA on Sept. 19, 1949. The couple resided in Bellefonte and State College, PA while he studied at Penn State University. Upon his graduation in 1952 with honors, the couple moved to Washington, D.C. for his first assignment with the US Bureau of Mines.

Later assignments took the couple to Pittsburgh, PA and Knoxville, TN. During the last 19 years of employment with the Bureau of Mines, Robert served as Regional Director for operations in the 27 eastern states of the United States. He retired in 1982 to accept an academic appointment as Associate Professor at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD.

During his employment with the Bureau of Mines, Robert served as an Adjunct Professor for the Mining Department of the University of Pittsburgh for six years and as a guest lecturer at numerous universities including Penn State, Alabama, Alaska, Minnesota, Tennessee, West Virginia and the Colorado School of Mines.

Having traveled to every state except Hawaii on mining related business, Robert proudly visited Hawaii in 1991 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. He enjoyed travels with Merlyn throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Scotland, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.

Prior to retirement, Robert was active in professional mining organizations serving as an officer of the Society of Mining Engineers of AIME - Council of Mineral Economics, Industrial Minerals Division and Coal Division. He was a technical editor for the Industrial Minerals and Coal Divisions for many years. Over the years, Robert authored and/or co-authored 70 technical publications on subjects relating to mining and mine land reclamation. He presented numerous technical papers at national and regional meetings of mining professional organizations. He also was a member of the American Association of Geographers, being active in economic geography and resource management. Robert was active in community activities in each location he and his wife resided and was active in Boy Scouts and sports with their two sons, Douglas and Scott.

Robert was a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge in Penn Hills, PA; Scottish Rite, Williamsport, PA; and Bahia Temple (Shiners) of Orlando, FL and American Legion and ELKS of Clearfield, PA. He was proud of his Scottish heritage having researched his ancestors of Scotland dating back to the mid 1700's. He was a member of St. Andrews' Society of Central FL, Clan MacThomas Society and Clan MacThonas North American Branch. Also he was a member of the Central FL Penn State Chapter.

Robert and Merlyn finally retired to Zellwood Station, FL in April 1987 where he enjoyed golfing. He was active in community activities, serving as a Director of the Zellwood Station Co-op, Inc. for many years, the Zellwood Station Community Association and the Golf Association and was a member of the Florida Hospital Golf Marshals. In 2015, he was appointed Zellwood Station Co-op Director Emeritus.

Robert was preceded in death by his wife Merlyn B. Thomson, parents J. Don and Vernice Thomson and sister Alice Mae Beals. He is survived by two sons; Douglas, Mulvane, Kansas and Scott, Windermere, Florida; five grandchildren - Matthew Lee and Katharine Amanda, children of Douglas and Barbara Thomson; Marissa Taylor, Joshua Scott and Zachary James, children of Scott and Jennifer Thomson; and nephew Don Keenan, Atlanta, GA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Comforter, 480 W. Central Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 or on their website at www.hospiceofthecomforter.org. Services will be held at a later date.