Dr. Robert J. Schrader

Services for Robert J. Schrader, 90, of Longview will be held at 10 AM Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at First Christian Church with Dr. Jim Lewis officiating. Entombment will follow in the Rosewood Park Mausoleum. Services are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. Dr. Schrader died on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at his home. The family will recieve friends Monday evening from 6-8 PM. Dr. Schrader was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Bernice Schrader. Survivors include his wife, Mary Howard Schrader; sons, Dr. Larry B. Schrader of Austin, and Dr. William R. Schrader of Madisonville, TX; and a daughter, Nancy Webb of Longview. Survivors also include 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Dr. Schrader was a 1936 graduate of Riley High School in South Bend, Indiana where he won the Indiana State Geometry Championship and was captain of the tennis team. He received the Bachelors and Masters degrees in Engineering from Purdue University and the Doctor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT he taught senior classes in Chemical Engineering and held the Eastman Kodak Co. Fellowship. Dr. Schrader worked for the Eastman Kodak Co. for 42 years. His first assignment for Eastman Kodak was at the government secret, war time Manhattan Atomic Bomb Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. There he was responsible for the design, construction and operation of the chemical facilities at the governments "Y-12" plant. Dr. Schrader, at 26 years of age, was the youngest Department Superintendent in the Manhattan Project. After WWII, Dr. Schrader was Director of Pilot Plants at Tennessee Eastman Co. Research Laboratories in Kingsport, TN. There he invented the Flame Cracking Process for the manufacture of acetylene and ethylene and the Direct Hydration Process for the production of ethyl alcohol from ethylene and water. The latter process was used at Texas Eastman's original facility in Longview. In 1953, Dr. Schrader was given responsibility for the design, construction and operation of the Polyethylene Plant at Texas Eastman Co. He later held the positions of Superintendent of the Plastics Division, General Superintendent of Plastics, and Works Manager. In 1983 he retired as Vice President and Works Manager of Texas Eastman, and President of the Caddo Construction Co. Dr. Schrader held numerous patents in the field of chemical and plastics production. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Society of Plastics Engineers. His membership in honorary societies included Tau Beta Pi, Engineering; Phi Lambda Upsilon, Chemistry; and Sigma Xi, Research. Dr. Schrader served in numerous civic positions, including Charter Director of the Longview YMCA, the Longview Chamber of Commerce, and the Gregg County Juvenile Delinquency Council, where he was instrumental in organizing a city wide Parks Program for the City of Longview. He was the recipient of "Lion's International Star Award for Outstanding Community Service," and was a past member of the Longview Downtown Rotary Club and the Pinecrest Country Club. He was elected to the Longview School Board for three consecutive terms and served at its President. He also served two terms on the Longview City Council. Dr. Schrader was a lifetime member of the First Christian Church where he served as President of the Loyal Men's Bible Class, Stewardship chairman, Chairman of the Boards of Deacons and Elders, and Chairman of the Official Church Board. He was a member of the Cornerstone Bible Class. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial donations be made to the Building Fund of the First Christian Church, 720 N. 6th Street, Longview, Texas 75601. A memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.

Dr. Robert J. Schrader

October 27, 1918 - March 14, 2009