Robert Gordon Woodnorth passed peacefully in the company of loving family on Monday June 8, 2026.   Bob is survived by his lifelong sweetheart and wife, Margaret, their three children Brian (Donna), Douglas (Geralyn), Shirley (Andrew) and grandchildren Sarah (Brian), Scott, Evan, Mark, Joseph (Alyssa), Naomi, Margo plus many nieces and nephews.

Bob graduated from Millburn High School.  He earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering (NCE), and then a MS in Engineering – Operations Management.  He was an R.O.T.C. student and was inducted into the Air Force after college, serving in Labrador, Canada as a communications officer.  This is where he learned to iron shirts, crisp and neat.  While he was in the service, Bob married Marge, his college sweetie.   They met their freshman year at a dance for students from the two Newark colleges, NCE and Newark Teachers College.  Bob and Marge also met their cherished lifelong friends, a.k.a., “The Group”, at college.    

Bob and Marge married in 1954 and have been a caring, loving couple for over 75 years.  Their honeymoon included a visit to the Saugus Iron Works, where years later, on a camping trip with their children, they found their honeymoon selves pictured onthe brochure. 

During his long career, Bob worked at Ford in Detroit, and Alcoa in Bridgeport.   His New Jersey employment included Rowe, Triangle, International Paper, and Watchung Hills Regional High School.  He started out designing factory layouts, worked on vending machine designs and then was asked to get involved in computers early on.  Bob designed and implemented computer processes and applications that were used by operations to manage materials, parts ordering, production planning and distribution systems. 

Bob’s skills were in demand.  This allowed him to manage his career and ensure that he had time for his family and interests.  The Denville IPCO position enabled the best work life balancewhich included running at lunchtime and scooting out at 5pm to catch an early movie at the theater with Margaret.

When IPCO closed their Denville office, Bob requested the task of emptying that office of everything = desks, waste baskets, computer wiring, etc.  He enjoyed this as it involved his favorite activities: problem solving, talking to people of different walks of life and a task clearly done.  During that time, Bob earned a Masters in Teaching.

Bob retired from the corporate world, and then he re-entered High School as a Physics and Geology teacher.  Of teaching, he said, I have never worked so hard in my career nor been around so many happy people.   Bob was a gifted teacher, able to explain complex concepts in a clear and logical manner, as well as a sociable person who enjoyed the energy of the high school students.  He managed the students (and their parents) efficiently by having simple solutions: Three options to take a test (each different) with the ability to choose the highest grade; Shuttingthe door and locking it as the bell rang. Results? Students were not late to his class, actually they were early, hoping to see their friends locked out; Students had motivation to learn the materialand parents would have to follow up with their child if they wanted to contest a grade. He resisted computerization of grades as it took away his latitude for bumping up a grade as he saw fit. And the students liked him.  One class created a comic strip “Mr. Woodnorth in Physics Land”, that included him spinning in some sort of gravitational vortex.  Every year Mr. Woodnorthtook the class to Great Adventure so that they could see physics in action, including placing a penny on a knee while on a free-fall ride.

Bob was a lifelong amateur athlete.  In High School he was on the swimming, rifle and gymnastics teams.  As an adult, he started running in early 1960s, wearing his old work pants and pre-technology sneakers.  He encouraged his kids to join sports teams and be physically active.  In 1980, Bob introduced Margaret to running.  Together they entered 10k and 5k races.  She won lots of trophies as she was often the only person running in her age group.  He won second place in one race and was proud to have achieved that!  After running, their children introduced Bob and Marge to cross-country skiing, hiking at Jockey Hollow, walking around the lakes.  Marge and Bob progressed to hiking in Austria.  They would prepare for the Austrian mountains by hiking up the Tourne multiple times in a day.  

Bob was a lifelong car enthusiast.  He loved cars, engines, motorcycles and any other mechanical item such as canal locks, factories, etc.  As a young engineer, he wanted to design cars.  Family vacations included motorcycle hill climbs, car races ondirt and macadam, demolition derbies, car shows, steam engine shows, factory tours (the IPCO paper mill was impressive) as well as deep sea fishing, camping, exploring abandoned castles in the UK and more. Fun adventures! Bob’s best friend from high school became a race car driver.  Bob and Marge went to his races throughout his career including a last event - a senior citizen race rally.  The 85 plus year old retired professionalscouldn’t help themselves and began to compete, going faster and passing on the smallish oval.

In retirement, Bob volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in Newark, helping with wiring and homebuilding.  He enjoyed the work, the camaraderie but declined when they asked him to become a site manager.

Retirement travel included camping in Alaska, surfing in Hawaii, hiking in Austria, visiting Marge’s family in Sicily, touring Morocco, Eastern European countries (a Yugo factory!), Turkey, San Francisco, the Grand Canyon and, of course, visiting their beloved grandchildren.  

Bob and Marge adore and cherish their grandchildren and their grandchildren adore them.  They travelled often to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and in New Jersey to be with their grandchildren and adult children.  They travelled a few years ago to Wisconsin to celebrate their granddaughter’s wedding where Marge and Bob danced all night. Bob and Marge’s playful, youthful, generous, loving spirit has been a perfectmatch with the grandchildren from their birth through their adulthood.  Bob and Marge are loved and adored by their adult children and their spouses too.

Marge and Bob kept love, joy, laughter, curiosity, movement, humor, playfulness and family in their life all the way into their 90’s.  They are each other’s Best Friend, Best Wife and Best Husband.  They are truly blessed to have found each other so young.

Bob lived a full generous life.  We will all miss him dearly.

The family has requested no flowers.

If people wish to donate in Robert's honor, please donate to the Newark branch of  Habitat for Humanity, where he volunteered.

Donate - Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark, Inc.

P.O. Box 32189

Newark, NJ 07102

973-624-3330